Abdomen, the center of the Universe

by Diego Marquete

Lanna medicine and Siamese medicine, which combined local knowledge with knowledge of Arabic and Greek origin, teach that everything in the universe is made up of 42 fundamental parts, and they call the union of these parts Mahàsrot, which in the ancient language of Thailand means "The Great Channel or Flow of Life".

Mahasrot is the force that integrates these 42 components and grants life, creating movements that define man and the universe. Without Mahasrot, everything would be mere dead matter, without any function or energy. Mahasrot is in the universe and in the constitution of every being that inhabits this universe.

The 42 defined components are divided into four elements: fire, wind, earth, and water, each element possessing a number of components determined by a numerology intimate to Buddhist spirituality. Fire is composed of four (4) types; wind has six (6), water refers to twelve (12) liquids, and earth consists of twenty (20) solids. This conjunction forms everything that exists in the universe, including man. Based on these theories, the first text, in poem form, of traditional Thai medicine, written by Phraya Witchnabudhi, states that: “Each body is a universe and the center of the Universe is Sumeru!”

But what is Sumeru? Sumeru is the name used in Thailand for Mount Meru, considered by numerous spiritual traditions to be the energy center of the Universe. In the human body, this center is the abdomen. The abdomen holds all energetic and spiritual charge and serves as an axis for physical balance. Accessing the abdomen is to approach the origin of the Universe, which is each individual, and to treat from there.

The illustrations in Thai medicine texts define points on the abdomen used to treat numerous problems, from common physical pains to more serious ones like lower limb paralysis. These points are used for emotional and energetic issues, and are indicated for balancing the four elements. The main points are around the navel, the gateway to the body's main energy concentration. In Thai medicine, the navel concentrates life energy. Assessing the navel is assessing the harmony of the four elements.