Triple Focuses and Three Bandhas

In my video “Whirl up the Yang Energy”https://fawnglenyoga.com/videos/whirl-up-the-yang-energy/, I included the first form of Ba Duan Jin, “双手托天理三焦 - Both hands hold up the Heavens to regulate SanJiao”.

I chose this form to be introduced in my class first, not only because it is the first form of Ba Duan Jin, but also because I find SanJiao particularly a fascinating concept.

SanJiao is translated into English as “triple burners” or “triple energisers”. Personally, I prefer to think of it as “triple focuses”. It refers to three components of our torso, including all the main internal organs:

Lower focus - the area below the navel, including the kidney, bladder, intestines, and the toxin processing function of the liver, is considered to be the “drainage” of the body.
Middle focus - between the navel and diaphragm, including the stomach, spleen, gallbladder, and digestive function of the liver, is described as a “fermentation tank”.
Upper focus includes the heart and the lungs. A healthy upper burner should have a quality of “mist” - light, moist, and spreading. It carries and distributes the essence of life to all parts of our body.

The reason that I prefer the word “focus” over “burner” or “energiser”, is because “focus” reflects their individual functions and characteristics better. They definitely don’t all “burn”, or else we become sick from having too much heat.

Chinese culture is very much based on agriculture. Imagine your body as a piece of farmland - the lower focus has the fluidity of water element, keeping the “drainage” through; the middle focus belongs to earth element - think of all the food that we eat as fertiliser, they will first have to be composted for the land to be able to absorb the benefits of it; the upper focus has the air quality. Moist waft and timely rainfall create the best condition for growth, whilst arid gusts or heavy long downpours will both be detrimental to the health of the land.

With this in mind, it is easy to understand why SanJiao, with its coordinated components and the unimpeded channel, is fundamental to our health as a whole.

Similar, yet with intricate differences, is the concept of Bandhas in Yoga:

Mula Bandha (root lock) - earth element
Uddiyana Bandha (abdominal lock) - fire element
Jalandhar Bandha (throat lock) - ether and water elements

These Bandhas are like a series of dams that regulate the life energy to channel through the central spinal column (Sushumna Nadi).

Isn’t it amazing how these two different ancient philosophies come so close to each other on this very specific subject?

And now, think again about our beautiful farmland, with the added irrigating system - the set of dams of Bandhas. Not only do we know how the land should be maintained, what the conditions we should try to achieve, we also have extra technology to help the yield! Engaging the Bandhas, building up the water level within the dams, and releasing it to irrigate as needed.

A good farmer cares, observes, takes timely actions, adapts, and adjusts. A good farmer is also a constant doer and learner.

That should be you and me.