Maybe according to “as in macrocosmos so in microcosmos” we can consider the „dragon“ to be connected/synonymous with the heartbeat/rhythm. Heart is in the – according to TCM - “heavenly” part (= above the navel) of the human body – like a mountain – the source of where the river start flowing towards gravity. Usually the blood vessels have their way hugging the organs while taking a meandering path.
Heartbeat is about the “flow” of water/blood, it´s about the speed, amount of qi flow. It pumps the blood together with fresh oxygen (wind) - one part goes up to the head (heaven/6) and the main part flows down following the way of gravitation. This is everywhere the same in the world, no matter if in Northern hemisphere or Southern hemisphere. Up and down, up and down.... Like the water circulation within nature.
“Mountain” strengthens” health in the way that in the mountains the body has more stress to get/transport enough oxygen to the organs. More erythrocytes are produced when a human being moves within the mountains, the heart has to do more work and becomes stronger also because of lesser air pressure.
As oxygen is heavy, so in flat areas there is more oxygen than in the mountains. And when a “trained” human being with more erythrocytes has to do muscle work in the flat area it becomes more productive. That´s why movement within mountains means “slow down”, but getting stronger health. Trained muscles become more powerful when being “used” in a flat areas/water areas.
Antje
