Chi Running: What is it?

I picked up the book "Chi Running" at the library with interest at seeing two of my loves combined.  My life's work is becoming more clear:  helping people find healing through balance in their bodies.  I get to move qi  (or chi) with acupuncture needles, yoga and breathing exercises, and the encouragement of personal explorations through art and conversation.  I know qi has a part to play in all of life's goings-ons, but I love when others can blatantly wrap it up and hand it over, easy to digest. 

Danny Dreyer shares his experience of finding connections between his T'ai Chi practice and his running.  Any runner knows that you get to a point in your run where you find a one-pointed concentration.  You are completely and fully in the present moment and more, you're content being there.  T'ai Chi can bring you to the same place with a lot less stress on joints, but also very little cardio work-out.

Combining the two allows for healthy joints and some serious blood pumping.  "Chi Running" claims to be a "revolutionary approach to efforless, injury-free running".  Sweet!  Dreyer starts by asking you to "gather your center": 

gather your chi energy to your center, your arms and legs are as soft as cotton, holding no tension... all movement originates in your center.  It is your power source, acting as the axis around which everything else moves.

Your center, in T'ai Chi, is located two finger breadths below your navel and in front of your spine.
Run from there.  Like a cheetah, allow your whole body to "effort-lessly" be part of your movement, originating from that center. 

Start small and grow from the regular investment of your running.  Dreyer encourages goals, but not a clinging to them: 

Find your center in your body.
Sense your center in you feelings. 
See your center in your mind. 
Be centered in your spirit.

When you are centered in spirit, you accept where you are.  Maybe you won't find that marathon start line this year (or ever), but enjoy where you are, in your body and spirit, right now. 

As for the technique in the book, I would need to write another book to tell you about it.  I had an acupuncture client who took a course from one of Dreyer's disciples.  He told me all I have to do is run slanted forward a bit and I'll be Chi Running.  I can't imagine it's that simple.  But I'll still try it. 

The question I have on finishing the book:  Is it a book to help you run better, pain-free?  Or is the running he recommends just a vehicle for a more contented, centered life?  Either sounds fine to me.  It's worth the read.  Check it out:  http://www.chirunning.com/