You Aren’t Centered: Here’s Why

A Foundation of Qigong: The Power of Center
In Qigong, centering isn’t just another exercise; it’s the root system of our practice. Life can feel like a hurricane sometimes, tossing us around like a leaf in a wind tunnel. Centering is what helps us land, calm, clear, and balanced instead of stuck to someone’s metaphorical windshield.

Your center acts as a home base, a reliable “reset button” you can return to when physical challenges arise or when stress threatens to hijack the controls. It’s the foundation for transforming obstacles into opportunities for growth.
 

The Storm Within: My Journey to Centering
When I was younger, I was a sponge for everyone else’s stress. Being an empath, I absorbed tension often losing my sense of stability. I said yes when I meant no, froze when pressured, and shrank at harsh words. The shame of being “too sensitive” kept me locked in fear of judgment.

By my teens, that sensitivity mutated into rebellion. Instead of folding, I’d flare—snapping back in anger, reactive and restless. I felt stuck on a pendulum swing: terrified of being a pushover, then regretful after overreacting. It was exhausting, and it kept me from finding the stability I craved.

That changed the day my Qigong master, Lama Tantrapa, introduced me to centering. I remember standing barefoot on the tatami mat, wobbling like a newborn giraffe every time he gave me a gentle push. My body revealed what my mind (and emotions) had been doing for years— lunging forward in resistance or collapsing backward in trepidation.

Before learning centering, my focus was glued to everything happening outside of me; the moods of others, unpredictable circumstances, the stressors I had zero control over. I was constantly trying to manage the storm instead of finding calm within myself. No wonder I was thrown off balance so easily.

Then came the centering exercise. By balancing my weight, pivoting my stance, and focusing on my central channel, I felt something shift. My attention turned inward, away from the chaos of “out there.” My breath steadied. My movements flowed. For the first time, I understood that real stability isn’t about controlling the storm; it’s about rooting into the stillness inside, at my center.

From Reactivity to Responsiveness
When uncentered, we react like a candle in the wind—flickering, flaring, then burning out. Reactivity keeps us chasing circumstances we can’t change, fighting fires that were never ours to put out.

Centering offers another path. We gravitate into a calm, steady responsiveness. Like water flowing around a rock, it allows us to relax under pressure. And here’s the key: by centering, we stop wasting energy on things outside our control. That freed-up energy becomes clarity, balance, and even creativity. Instead of reacting, we begin responding—which often changes our perspective on circumstances.
 

Your Invitation
The next time you feel pressure—whether it’s a tough conversation, a deadline, or just your toddler melting down in aisle five—try it. Take a breath. Loosen your shoulders. Find your center.

This responsiveness is where resilience is born. And with practice, it’s how we thrive.