The center (hara)hara

The center is a region below the belly, seen as the body's point of weight and balance. Called by the Japanese word 'hara', this point is regarded in many body traditions as an inner support and center of strength. Bringing attention to this center can give a person a sense of balance and solidity. Contact with this region lets the body remember its center of gravity. Standing in one's own center is often a source of calm.