The navel sits at the very center of our body. While it is easy to overlook in daily life, the Donguibogam considered it crucially important, referring to it as the 'root of life' and the 'gateway of original qi.' Just as a tree must have sturdy roots for its branches and leaves to flourish, the navel—where the most fundamental energy of our body gathers—must be healthy for the entire body's circulation to run smoothly.
For women in particular, the navel is not simply a mark; it is closely connected to the uterus located in the lower abdomen. The Donguibogam viewed that when the area around the navel becomes cold, the lower abdomen, particularly the uterus, cools down and develops a 'uterine cold pattern.' A cold uterus is like a frozen field where seeds struggle to sprout. Just as it is difficult to sprout even the finest seeds when a field is frozen solid, it warned that if the uterus is cold, menstrual blood cannot flow properly and congeals, potentially leading to irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and in severe cases, infertility.
Cold qi obstructs the circulation of qi and blood inside the body, which soon disrupts our body's biological clock, namely the menstrual cycle. Can you see why it was so important to keep the navel warm and protected as a 'meridian confluence' and a place 'where yin and yang qi intersect'? When you keep this area warm, the cold qi in the body dissipates, the circulation of qi and blood becomes active, and the uterus returns to being a warm, healthy field. Through such wisdom of caring for and warming the center of our body, the Donguibogam sought to protect women's health and beauty. It is a warm warning from our body that not only is menstruation irregular, but the balance of the entire body is faltering.
