Some Taoist breathing exercises

The proposed exercises have a beneficial effect on the entire body and contribute to an increase (up to 50%) of a person's capabilities for prolonged physical effort and stress.
Exercise 1. Enables gas exchange in the lung and stomach tissues. During normal respiration, this exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide does not occur. Exercise is best done in the morning or evening. It is performed in a standing, sitting or lying position.
Exhale slowly at the beginning. As you exhale, tighten your abdominal muscles to push the air out of your lungs. Imagine that all air molecules leave the lungs.
After exhaling completely, inhale slowly, expanding the lungs so that the chest also expands in all directions. Tighten your stomach strongly, not letting it swell. During the first part of the exercise, only the chest muscles work.
As soon as the lungs are filled to capacity, hold your breath for a few moments to allow complete gas exchange to take place.
Tighten the muscles of the chest and lungs at the same time, slowly inflating the stomach until it becomes like a ball. These movements move air from the top of the lungs to the bottom.
Hold the air in the lower part of the lungs for several tens of seconds (adjustable individually if possible), then slowly tighten the stomach and release the air through the mouth. At first, this exercise is difficult to perform, but with a little perseverance, you can learn to fill with air and empty. lower part lungs.
A full inhalation followed by an exhalation constitutes a respiratory cycle. In the beginning, two or three such cycles will be enough. Over time, you can repeat the cycle up to 12 times. It must be remembered that you must do the exercise slowly all the time.
Note. Exercise is not recommended for pregnant women.
Exercise 1 not only supplies the tissues with oxygen and revitalizes them, but also tones the tissues of the abdomen and increases the volume of the chest. In addition, it promotes deeper breathing and more complete elimination of stagnant gases that often linger in the lower part of the lungs.

Exercise 2 This exercise is slightly different from the first one: first, the air enters the upper part of the lungs, then you hold it in the chest for as long as you can. After that, exhale.
Exhale slowly, tucking in your abdominal muscles. The contraction of the muscles of the abdomen and diaphragm removes all the air from the lungs.
After exhaling completely, inhale slowly, expanding and filling the entire upper part of the lungs with air. Pick up the stomach (do not release in the form of a ball), since only top part lungs.
When the upper part of the lungs is filled with air, hold your breath for a while to prevent the air from escaping and to allow complete gas exchange.
After that, slowly tighten your chest so that the air from the top of the lungs moves into the bottom. Expand your stomach a little so that "air can enter it."
Hold your breath for as long as you can. Then exhale slowly through your mouth.
Full inhalation and full exhalation - the respiratory cycle. Repeat the cycle at your discretion (on average 7 times).

Breathing exercises have ancient roots in China. In the famous Taoist work “Baopu-zi” (beginning of the 4th century), the Taoist scientist Ge Hong wrote that with the help of breathing exercises, one can “heal all diseases, protect oneself from snakes and tigers, be under water and walk on water, get rid of hunger and thirst and prolong your life."

In the “History of the Later Han”, in the biography of Wang Zhen, there is even such an entry: “Wang Zhen was almost a hundred years old, but his face was shiny; he looked like a fifty year old. Could perform exercises of uterine breathing and uterine nutrition. "Uterine breathing" means the internal circulation of breath in a static sitting posture; "fetal nutrition" means swallowing the saliva formed in the mouth.

Among the many breathing methods of the Taoists, the most famous was the method of "Uterine Breathing". This method got its name because it sought to reproduce the breath of the fetus in the womb. The Taoists taught that the fetus does not breathe through the nose or mouth, that breathing is done through the umbilical cord, which they called the "gate of fate." All Tao practitioners were advised to master uterine breathing, that is, to breathe like a fetus in a mother's womb. Taoists considered this method of breathing the basis of life, believed that with its help it was possible to achieve the state of the fetus, expel old age, “return to the source, return to the base”, which, in their opinion, meant the achievement of immortality.

History of occurrence

"Womb Breath" was discovered at the beginning of the Tang era. In Taoist writings, it was defined as internal breathing, that which uses the internal air that is in the human body from the very beginning. As for external respiration, it uses the external air.

When the Taoists paid attention to the circulation of air in the human body, breathing was divided into external and internal. According to the ideas of the Taoists of that time, the internal air came out of the "cinnabar field", from the region of the liver and diaphragm. This internal air, contained in the body of each individual person, was also called "original air" (yuan qi). Taoists believed that the “original air” in a person corresponds to the original air of Heaven and Earth, that a person receives this original air of Heaven and Earth at his birth, that this air becomes his “spirit” (shen) and his body (xing), that a person receives originally a single air, which also becomes his saliva and essence (i.e. seed). In addition, the Taoists believed that the original air of Heaven and Earth in the macrocosm arises in the north, belongs to the element of water, correlates with the trigram kan, dominates in the northern regions and, in particular, in the region of Mount Heng, the Peak of the North. The "original air" of man, i.e. microcosm, arises in the kidneys, corresponding to the elements of water, the trigram kan and the north. It is the source of vital air moving between the kidneys. He is the basis of the five internal organs, the root of all twelve channels, the gates of inhalation and exhalation, the source of the "three melters" ("three heaters" or "burning regions"). This air is the root of a person, so if the root is destroyed, all organs and channels will behave like branches and leaves that dry up with the death of the root.

Since the "original air" seemed to the Taoists to be the root of life, it had to be carefully preserved, especially since its quantity, as it was believed, was very limited, only six cun. The loss of one cun of "original air", the Taoists believed, reduces a person's life by thirty years, while the preservation of all six cun provides eternal life. Therefore, it was prescribed to master the rules of breathing, so that the “original air” would not go out through the nose and mouth, but would constantly fill the “cinnabar field” and circulate throughout the body without mixing with external air.

The theory and practice of indoor air circulation was developed by the Taoists of the Tang and Song periods. They imagined the circulation mechanism as follows: since the movement of internal and external air is coordinated, then when the external air rises for exhalation, the internal contained in the lower "cinnabar field" also rises; when the outer air descends after inhalation, the inner air also descends and returns to the "cinnabar field". The circulation of internal air, as the Taoists believed, took place in two cycles: firstly, the absorption of air and, secondly, the actual circulation of this air. Taoist writings describe only one way of absorbing air and two ways of circulating.

What is Uterine Breathing?

In the work of Ge Hong "Baopu-zi" it is said that when practicing air circulation, one should inhale through the nose and then close, lock the air, holding it for 120 heartbeats, and then carefully exhale through the mouth. Inhalation and exhalation should be done silently and without tension, so that the pen placed in front of the nose or mouth does not move. In this case, you need to inhale a large amount of air, and exhale a small amount. As you mastered this practice, it was necessary to increase the interval between inhalation and exhalation to a thousand heartbeats, which should have led to the rejuvenation of the old.
To get the effect, you need to practice for 30 - 50 minutes every day. Naturally, you need to start with five minutes and gradually bring the time to the above.

How to carry out breathing?

Breathing is carried out mainly with the help of movements of the stomach, drawing it in and sticking it out. With direct abdominal breathing on inspiration, the front wall of the abdomen protrudes forward, the stomach seems to inflate. The diaphragm then moves down, creating a vacuum in the lungs and increasing the volume of inhaled air. On exhalation, the stomach retracts, the diaphragm rises.

In what position should you breathe?

It is best to perform Belly Breathing in the Lotus position. Cross both ankles and place each heel on the opposite knee with the soles of both feet facing up. (As you get used to the pose, try to place your heels closer to the pelvis.) Then you should put the right hand on the left, palms up, connecting the thumbs, and lower the hands to the feet opposite the stomach. This is the best position to practice.

If you cannot sit in the lotus, it is best to start from the normal cross-legged position. The calves are crossed so that the heels are under the middle of each thigh. The body is straight, the shoulders are relaxed, the elbows are naturally lowered down, the palms are lightly placed on the knees or folded in front of the stomach as in the Lotus position.

Why is it better to engage in "inner achievement" in the Lotus? This also has its own meaning. The novice, sitting in this position, imitates the position of the embryo in the womb, and completely seals the vital points of the body in order to create the most favorable conditions for "Uterine Breathing" and open the so-called "tenth hole" in the abdomen - the point of exchange of the "internal energy" of the Taoist and "heavenly energy" of the cosmos. Another important purpose of this posture is that it helps the novice become aware of the energy channels in his body.

Accordingly, the victory over old age, the return to the "infant" and even "embryonic" state, is the main goal of Taoist cultivation. Although the aging process is inevitable and a person cannot fully become a baby again, it is possible to restore some of the properties of the infant state, for example, the complete system of energy channels, such as it is in newborns. These channels cannot be distinguished either by the ordinary eye or by any scientific instruments. Only those who have experienced the experience of "inner achievement" can see them. This ability allows a disciple of the Tao not only to maintain health, but also to restore youth.

How to practice womb breathing?

It's better to close your eyes. The air should be inhaled through the nostrils slowly through the abdomen, so gently that no noise should be heard, and the inhalation should be stopped when the chest begins to expand. Then the breath should be held as long as possible, at least for the time it takes to count from 1 to 120 (ideally then 120 heartbeats). After that, it is necessary to exhale the air through the mouth completely and so smoothly that the swan feather suspended in front of the face does not move. Then again follow inhalation, retention, exhalation, etc.

The theoretical goal of this process is to return to fetal breathing in the womb, in which the fetus grows continuously without losing anything. The ideal would be to hold your breath for the time it takes to count from 1 to 1000, as the air restores and revitalizes the human body.

The air must be alive, not dead. It is advisable to perform it outdoors or pre-ventilate the room. This exercise should be done between midnight and noon. During this period, the air is alive - Yang. Between noon and midnight - Yin.

One who does this type of breathing exercise must be a vegetarian. In addition to renewing the body, as the ancient sages say, this breathing contributes to the distraction of thoughts and, as a result, a good concentration of the mind. It brings health and complete peace.

Taoist paradoxical breathing is the basic method and is most suitable for practicing in the Taoist circle mode.

In the 1st edition of this book, I gave a method natural breathing, adapted for the Taoist circle. The reason for this was the desire to avoid the appearance of a specific Taoist tummy, which often appears with the systematic practice of paradoxical breathing. However, it is paradoxical breathing that is the most organic and most effective for practicing in the Taoist circle mode. And to solve the problem of the Taoist tummy, there is a simple and effective solution. It is quite enough to introduce an exercise for the abdominal press into your daily exercises. I named this exercise Elbows-Knees. It is given in the same chapter, in the section "Morning gymnastic complex". If you do this simple and very useful exercise at least once a day, there will be no problems with the stomach.

The method of Taoist paradoxical breathing presented here is an improved modification of the classical version. A very important technical moment has been added - the inclination of the spine, performed at the end of exhalation. This supplement activates the movement of energy up the spine and is the prevention of congestion and pain in the lower back and lower spine.

Preparatory and final exercises

preparatory exercises.

The following preparatory exercises should be done immediately before the main practice (before paradoxical breathing). They take a little time, and the benefits from them are great - the effectiveness of subsequent breathing practice increases significantly.

1) Ear massage with palms (Yin ear massage).

This exercise is given here, in the "Practice" section, in the complex on the spine for the Taoist circle. The recommended number of repetitions of massage movements is at least 12.

Note. Before breathing, this preparatory exercise is best done not in Seiza, but in Simplasana.

2) Release of manual yin channels.

Simplasana, eyes open, hands on hips just above the knees, palms down (Yin hand position). keep your attention on your palms. Perform such a motionless sitting for at least 3 minutes.

3) Exercise "Deer", sitting in Simplasan(at least 12 repetitions).

Exercise "Deer" in a sitting position is designed to affect the lower abdomen, located above the genitals. Be careful, this is not the area of ​​the lower Dan Tien, located below the navel, but the pubic area, located much lower. This version of the "Deer" exercise is especially important for men with prostate problems and for women with ovarian problems. In addition, it is especially important for men suffering from premature ejaculation.

In general, the "Deer" exercise is unsurpassed and the most effective method sublimation of sexual energy and prevention of circulatory disorders and energy circulation in the genital area. This exercise is especially valuable during periods of prolonged sexual abstinence.

The exercise is performed in Simplasana, without coordination with breathing, hands are folded "palm to palm" at the lower abdomen. Any of our participation in the regulation of breathing is not required. It is best to not pay any attention to the breathing process during the "Deer" exercise.

The exercise consists in intentionally smooth retraction of the lower abdomen (the pubic area located directly above the genitals) followed by an equally smooth release and relaxation of this area. Exercise "Deer" should not be performed in a sharp "jerk" manner. It should be done smoothly and procedurally. The ideal model to be guided by when performing this exercise is the viscous-continuous movement of an earthworm.

When we do the "Deer" exercise in the sitting position, the contraction-release should be centered on the lower abdomen, where we should keep our attention throughout the exercise.

Retraction should not be excessive. This recommendation is especially important for people with high blood pressure, as well as for those who have serious problems in this area (with the prostate in men, with the ovaries in women). In no case should you do the exercise through pain, and you should not do this exercise in large volumes without the consent of the mentor. Otherwise, you can get a strong and unpleasant aggravation. Thus, it is better to refrain from full "one hundred percent" retraction, it is best to slightly "underdraw". It is also recommended to refrain from practice volumes exceeding the recommended number of repetitions. I strongly recommend not to do more than 36 repetitions (counting: pull-release - one, pull-release - two, and so on). The normative base is as follows: 12 repetitions is a lazy minimum, 24 repetitions is a standard, 36 repetitions is a safe maximum. Let me repeat myself: for people who have problems in this area, in no case should you do more than 36 repetitions of the Deer exercise without the consent of the mentor. This exercise is powerful and requires careful and respectful attitude towards yourself. Such people should start with a minimum of 12 repetitions and increase their number very gradually, no more than 3 repetitions per week.

The preventive and curative effect of this exercise is unique. An explanatory metaphor for the beneficial effects of the “Deer” exercise is a dirty sponge in running water. Squeeze this sponge, then release, squeeze again, release again. Exercise provides a full-fledged internal massage of the relevant organs and is simply indispensable for such diseases.

Final exercises.

Large amounts of practice of Taoist paradoxical breathing can lead to problems with the lower spine and pain in the lumbosacral zone, up to a severe exacerbation of the radiculitis type.

In order to avoid such troubles, first of all, when performing Taoist paradoxical breathing, one should not forget about rolling the spine forward at the end of each exhalation.

It must be said that this important technique is absent in the classical Chinese respiratory qigong. I added it on purpose, in order to avoid exacerbations in the lower back. In addition, to prevent such exacerbations at the end of the breathing practice, you need to perform the following two exercises:

1) Crocodile, legs apart.

This exercise is given in the complex on the spine for the Taoist circle, and is also shown in the video tutorials for the Taoist circle. The recommended number of repetitions is at least 12 (counting: one to the left, two to the right, and so on).

2) Elbows-knees.

This exercise is also given in the complex on the spine, and in video lessons for the Taoist circle. It has a beneficial effect on the entire spine and is especially useful for eliminating the lordosis gap. In addition, it is important to perform the Elbow-Knee exercise regularly in order to avoid the appearance of a bulging Taoist tummy, which, with large amounts of paradoxical breathing practice, appears due to the relaxation of the abdominal muscles during exhalation.

body position

In principle, breathing practice can be performed in various positions of the body. However, as the simplest, most comfortable and, at the same time, quite effective option, I recommend Simplasana 1 - a sitting position on a low bench or bench with crossed legs with open eyes.

A bench or banquette should be about 30-33 cm high. An ordinary chair for Simplasana is not suitable - it is too high. In this posture, we sit with a straight spine and crossed legs. Unlike the Simplasana reverse circle, the spine is slightly tilted forward. It should not be bent forward like a rod under load, but rather tilted forward while maintaining its straight position. Proper positioning of the head is of great importance, because it ensures the unhindered passage of energy through the back of the neck and the back of the head. It consists in the following. The chin should be taken “on itself” and slightly lowered down. In this case, a gentle stretching upward of the cervical spine occurs. I mean that initial position of the head from which we begin the inhalation and to which we return after the completion of the exhalation. For the correct positioning of the head in the initial position, both tipping the head back and hanging it forward should be avoided. To do this, the chin must be taken “on itself” and slightly lowered down. In this case, a gentle stretching upward of the cervical spine occurs. However, this is not enough for the correct initial position of the head. It should also be borne in mind that the correct setting of the head is impossible if you are hunched over. Shoulders should be kept straight. The knees should be fully extended to the sides, which is possible only with good relaxation in the hip joints.

For breathing practice on the Taoist circle, it is not Siddhasana that is best suited, but Simplasana - a pose sitting on a bench (or low bench) 30-35 cm high. Simplasana is shown in the following figure (Fig. 68). As for Siddhasana, of course, this wonderful asana is the best for meditation practice. However, it requires some preparation, so for older people, as well as for those who do not have the necessary leg stretch, it is best to ignore this difficult posture and, instead it, to use a much more convenient and, at the same time, quite suitable for the successful practice of Simplasana. In addition, it should be borne in mind that Siddhasana is a sublimation pose - it removes sexual overload (energy excess in the genital area), but at the same time, it can have an adverse effect on the lower spine. Therefore, with sciatica and various problems with the lower back and lower spine, a long stay in Siddhasana is not recommended. For this reason, in this methodological variant for the practice of complete breathing, Simplasana is recommended, which does not have such contraindications.

During breathing practice, the eyes should be kept open, which facilitates the passage of energy through the spine and all yang channels.

Proper alignment of the spine during breathing or meditation practice is extremely important. Therefore, I strongly recommend that all beginners take care of installing a large mirror located on your side (preferably on the left side). And during practice, it is necessary to periodically look in the mirror to check the correct setting of the spine. As has been repeatedly stated in my book, when practicing the Taoist circle, the spine should be straight and moderately tilted forward. Rolling the spine back is absolutely unacceptable.

Hand position

Thus, the best posture for breathing practice is Simplasana, and the best hand position is yang, in which the hands are folded on the lower abdomen (on the pubic area), as shown in Fig. 68.

Rice. 68. Hands are folded on the stomach, the palmar surface of one hand is superimposed on the back surface of the other hand (yang position of the hands).

In this case, the fingers are not intertwined, the tips thumbs do not touch. The right hand is on the outside and the left hand is on the inside. The palm side of the right hand overlaps the back of the left hand. In turn, the palm side of the left hand is adjacent to the abdomen in the area below the navel. This position of the hands favors the activation of manual yang channels and is energy-filling. When moving to this position, the body begins to warm up and a state of calm and emotional well-being arises, a state of a kind of emotional “satiety”.

tongue position

Numerous meditation manuals and manuals usually recommend the so-called Nabhi mudra - the constant holding of the tongue slightly pressed against the palate. This is a very good recommendation for the reverse circle, but it is completely unacceptable for energy meditative practice in the Taoist circle mode. Pressing the tongue against the palate immediately activates the area between the eyebrows and starts the energy circulation in a reverse circle. Thus, for the Taoist circle, Nabhi mudra (linguistic closure of the energy circuit) is not suitable.

Taoist paradoxical breathing technique (full breathing of the Taoist circle)

In this method of breathing practice, there is no holding the breath after inhalation. Of course, breathing practice performed with a delay after inhalation has a much stronger effect on the energy system and has a much greater developmental effect. However, in the absence of due care, it can lead to undesirable consequences. First of all, it is an exacerbation of the heart, manifested in such symptoms as palpitations, heaviness and pain in the region of the heart. Thus, breathing practice with the cultivation of retention after inhalation is completely contraindicated for people with heart problems. This method of practice is highly effective and powerful, but, like all powerful methods, it requires special care.

The method of full breathing of the Taoist circle expounded here is deprived of this shortcoming. There is no delay after inhalation, which makes this method of breathing quite safe for the practitioner. With due care, it can be practiced with great health benefits even by people with a weak heart. In addition, in this method of breathing practice, there is also no holding the breath after exhalation. This variant of breathing practice, borrowed from the arsenal of methods of the Taoist tradition, for convenience, I call "continuous breathing." So, continuous breathing is a kind of breathing practice in which there are no breath holdings at all (there is no hold after inhalation, and no hold after exhalation). At the same time, the inhalation “seamlessly” passes into the exhalation, and the exhalation also “seamlessly” passes into the inhalation. In this case, the entire process of breathing, both inhalation and exhalation, is performed only through the nose. The technique of Taoist paradoxical breathing described here is fully consistent with the ancient methodological rule: “One time Yin, one time Yang - this is the Tao-Way” and fully works out the entire microcosmic orbit.

a) The first half of the breath.

During inhalation (in its first half), the chest and upper abdomen fill and expand (you can’t fool the diaphragm!). There is no need to emphasize this on purpose and there is no need to be especially zealous, everything happens naturally.

b) The second half of the breath and its completion.

At this time, the chin gently lowers, and the lower abdomen and genital area are drawn in. In this case, a complete lowering of the chin is performed with pressing it to the jugular fossa (full-fledged Jalandhara bandha).

Inhalation should not be performed completely, to the limit. It's best to take a little breath. When performed correctly, there should always be a small margin at the end of inhalation. This means that we could inhale more if we wanted to, but we stop when we only inhale 90-95%. Finally, the inhalation is performed gently, smoothly and slowly, but without allowing any tension in the respiratory system, avoiding "breathlessness", i.e. the state of oxygen debt, in which there is a desire to catch one's breath.

The same can be said about the retraction of the lower abdomen and genital area (lower bandha). It also shouldn't be maxed out. It's best to "under-draw" a little. In addition, it cannot be performed in the mode of rough, jerky effort.

In this way, bandhas are always performed gently, slowly, procedurally and without excessive pulling effort.

c) expiratory phase.

During exhalation, the head gently rises, returning to its original position, and the lower abdomen relaxes and protrudes naturally. At the same time, attention moves along the front surface of the body from top to bottom, to the lower abdomen.

Rolling the spine forward is performed at the very end of the exhalation. It should be soft, smooth and moderate. If after rolling you experience discomfort and tension in the body, then the slope turned out to be excessive. During the rolling process, the entire spinal column, starting from the coccyx, smoothly moves forward. The spine must remain straight. Direct - does not mean - vertical. It does not bend, but rather leans forward as a single straight line from the coccyx to the back of the head. For comparison, imagine the difference between a rod bent in an arc under load and a tilted telegraph pole.

One more nuance. Discomfort and imbalance during the rolling of the spine forward can occur even with a quite moderate, optimal tilt. There are two possible reasons for this inconvenience. The first is problems with lumbar spine (back pain, excessive muscle tension in this area). As a rule, these problems are associated with a chronic defect in posture, the so-called "lordotic dip" (see explanatory figure 60). The lordotic failure leads to chronic muscle clamping in this area. This clamp disrupts the normal circulation of energy and thus causes great harm to health. A lordotic dip is a posture disorder of the “falling back” type, which is poorly compatible with the forward inclination of the spine. Thus, the rolling of the spine forward, which I added to the classical method of Taoist paradoxical breathing, is an extremely important technical point that ensures the unhindered movement of energy up the spine.

The second reason for discomfort and imbalance when rolling the spine forward is very simple and banal. It lies in the fact that comfortable sitting in Simplasan is impossible if the feet of the crossed legs are too close to themselves. In this case, when leaning forward, balance is disturbed and unnecessary tension arises in the body. To avoid this, you just need to slightly push your feet forward.

Consciously and intentionally, only rolling the spine forward is performed. But the return of the spine back specifically does not need to be done. It happens by itself, naturally, in the phase of lower retraction (i.e., at the end of inhalation). So, there is no need for a deliberate return of the spine. As practice shows, he himself returns to his original position.

When moving from exhalation to inhalation, a small (1-2 seconds, no more) "technological" cessation of breathing is quite possible. It is "technological", as opposed to "methodical". This means that we do not hold our breath on purpose and intentionally, but a slight cessation of breathing, providing a softer and more comfortable transition from exhalation to inhalation, is quite acceptable. At the same time, the continuity of breathing and the continuity of attention are practically not disturbed, since it is at this time that the process of rolling the spine is completed. It should be borne in mind that excessive concern with the ideal "seamlessness" of breathing practice can interfere and introduce unnecessary stress into the practice.

The work of attention when performing a full breath of the reverse circle

During the inhalation phase, attention should be kept on the “inhalation thread”, that is, on the slow and continuous process of inhalation. In the exhalation phase, attention should be kept on the "string of exhalation", that is, on the slow and continuous process of exhalation. The work of attention along certain trajectories (along the course of energy channels), although possible, is not necessary. It is best to simply be aware of the process of inhalation during inhalation, and be aware of the process of exhalation during exhalation. Over time, the practitioner will begin to perceive the real movement of energy flows at one or another phase of the respiratory cycle, and then he will only need to accompany with his attention the real-life and really perceived movement of energy in his own body.

This approach is much better than the work of attention along certain given trajectories within the body, which was given in the first edition of my book. In the years that have passed since the first edition of the PBI book, I have changed my attitude towards breathing practice in the direction of greater simplicity and convenience for the practitioner.

An absolutely correct assessment of this breathing technique (passing attention along trajectories) was given by my student Alexander Spiridonov: “Most likely, this technique is for advanced students who feel energy. Their attention moves on its own. But while there is no such sensitivity, it is better to keep your attention on the breath itself (on the “thread” of inhalation and exhalation), without bothering with any trajectories inside the body.

Quite right. Exactly.

Thus, breathing without channel-by-channel work of attention will be much more convenient and methodologically preferable. The variation of the complete reverse circle breath given here is both simpler and more effective.

About the correct mode of breathing and the main principles of breathing practice

When mastering Taoist paradoxical breathing, one should remember that the entire breathing process is performed gently, slowly, procedurally and without excessive effort. The ideal pattern to be followed in this practice is the dragging-continuous movement of the crawling earthworm.

An important feature of the breathing practice of my School is that we do not have a regulatory framework at all. In this regard, I am a staunch follower of Chinese breathing qigong, which is very different from classical Indian Pranayama.

In yogic Pranayama, standards are always set - inhale for so many counts, exhale for so many counts, hold your breath for so many counts. However, this approach is not welcomed in our School. In my opinion, it is necessary to follow not the standards, but the principles of proper breathing, the most important of which is respectful cooperation with one's own body, as the Taoists say, following naturalness.

Thus, in the practice of my School, there are no respiratory standards by no means due to methodological underdevelopment, but in order to avoid violence against one's body, to avoid being tied to rigid and artificial models of the respiratory cycle. The normative approach to breathing practice is far from harmless. With full-fledged volumes of classes, it can lead to deautomatization of breathing, the symptoms of which are respiratory disorders of the asthmatic type. Thus, the normative approach to breathing practice completely excludes full-fledged volumes of exercises (twice a day for 30-50 minutes), without which it is simply impossible to count on serious therapeutic and developmental results.

In my School, the standards for the duration of inhalation, exhalation, and even more so, breath holding, are not set for the same reasons that we wear clothes and shoes of an individual size. not the average. The respiratory regimen should be natural for the practitioner, and therefore, purely individual. That is why one should be guided not by standards, but by principles that are fundamental to successful breathing practice.

Here are the principles in a very simple and practical way:

1) The main and of fundamental importance is the principle of gradual increase in the duration of the respiratory cycle. Simply put, the practitioner should try to breathe slowly. During breathing practice, the setting for a gradual slowing of breathing should be maintained. Thus, breathing should be slow, smooth and processual. For a practically healthy beginner, the respiratory rate is approximately 3-4 breaths per minute. For elderly and debilitated people - about 5-6 breaths per minute. As the breathing practice naturally develops, the total length of the breathing cycle should gradually increase and the respiratory rate should decrease. At first, up to 2 breaths per minute, and for advanced students up to 1 breath per minute or less.

2) The principle of affordability and comfort breathing practice. In your effort to breathe slowly, you should not cross the border beyond which tension arises in the respiratory system. Breathing should remain comfortable for the practitioner, with no signs of shortness of breath (need to catch their breath) and no palpitations.

Breathing should be slowed down naturally, not forced. There is no need to rush into this. It is necessary to “cultivate” breathing practice, and for this our breathing must be feasible, moderate. In no case should it cause overstrain and shortness of breath, should not go beyond the comfort zone. Under these conditions, breathing practice will not be dangerous for the practitioner even with large volumes of practice.

As you can see, the first and second principles are opposite in their direction, and therefore complementary. They can be summed up in a general recommendation to breathe as slowly as possible, but without dyspnoea and overexertion.

3) The principle of meditativeness(maintaining the state of awareness in the process of breathing). Oriental masters gave us a golden rule: "Do and think one thing." During breathing practice, it is necessary to observe it and not be distracted by anything extraneous.

4) The principle of gradual increase in load. Start breathing practice with small volumes and gradually increase. I usually recommend starting with 5 minutes, after a week of practice, add another 5 minutes, and so on, adding 5 minutes weekly. Thus, you need to bring the practice to 30 minutes, and then you can go up to 50 minutes (this is the volume, both of breathing and any other energy-meditative practice, which provides the best development).

One more, very last note. Although, in principle, the breathing practice can be done with both eyes open and closed, nevertheless, I usually recommend doing it with eyes open. This provides a greater inclusion of consciousness in the surrounding space. Since breathing practice, first of all, provides energy development, it is better to perform it with open eyes.

You can read more about breathing practice in the 2nd volume of my book “The Path Without Illusions” (part 1, chapter “Breathing as an energy meditative practice”).

On the ratio of the duration of inhalation and exhalation during breathing practice

On forums and during individual consultations, I am often asked the question of what should be the ratio between the duration of inhalation and the duration of exhalation. What ratio should be considered optimal?

This is indeed a very serious and important issue. In the East (in India, China, Tibet) there is no consensus. Some masters recommend taking a longer breath, others - exhaling, others insist on the same duration of inhalation and exhalation. On this topic, I have something to say. Not only your opinion, but also a detailed argumentation. However, this is quite a lot of material, and I am going to discuss this issue in detail in the second edition of the PBI book (work on it is still far from complete). So here I will answer very briefly.

First of all, I must say that I consider the same duration of inhalation and exhalation during breathing practice to be the best and optimal. However, this does not mean that during practice we should deliberately try to equalize the duration of inhalation and exhalation.

It is best to just practice Continuous Breathing (NC). This is a mode of breathing in which there are no breath holdings at all. There is no retention after inhalation, nor retention after exhalation. With Continuous Breathing, a slow and smooth inhalation passes seamlessly into exhalation, and exhalation passes into inhalation just as seamlessly. With a long practice of such Continuous Breathing, the ratio between the duration of inhalation and exhalation will automatically equalize and gradually approach the optimal fifty-fifty proportion. So, if you practice ND, you don’t need to specifically try to balance the duration of inhalation and exhalation - it will gradually even out by itself. It is always preferable to cooperate with the body and not impose on it an alien breathing pattern.

The problem with using breath-holds is that, firstly, the balance between the duration of inhalation and exhalation is disturbed; and secondly, that there are often periods when there is no "respiratory appetite." Continuous Breathing is preferable because it is devoid of these two disadvantages.

Now I have transferred my School to the practice of Continuous Breathing. And this method of breathing practice is by no means my invention. This is one of the traditional methods of Chinese breathing qigong (they have no less different breathing methods than in Indian Pranayama). Once I started my practice with Taoist paradoxical breathing, performed without delay (in continuous breathing mode) and after 8 months of daily practice (twice a day for half an hour without any gaps or breaks) I got very good results.

Thus, if you practice Continuous Breathing, there is no need to specially equalize the duration of inhalation and exhalation. It is important to simply maintain continuity. Over time, not only will the total duration of the respiratory cycle increase, but the duration of inhalation and the duration of exhalation will also naturally equalize.

About the style of breathing exercises

It is important to know that there are two, very different in their impact, individual styles of breathing practice. They can be described as calming and activating.

activating the style of breathing practice is distinguished by an internal setting for the effort of self-overcoming. Breathing practice is perceived as work and it is expected that the more strenuous effort is put into this work, the more productive it will be. Naturally, this style reflects the personality of the practitioner. It is inherent in people who are active, active, accustomed to mobilizing volitional resources in order to overcome obstacles. Such a person is predisposed to solving any problems by mobilizing, first of all, energy resources, and to a much lesser extent - information resources. This is a doer, not a contemplative. The disadvantage of this approach to life in general and to breathing practice in particular is the excessive reliance on power methods, on the mobilization of energy and the achievement of results through strenuous effort. At the same time, its activities do not have sufficient information support. In relation to breathing practice, this means that he breathes too hard, too diligently performs the retraction of the abdomen. His breathing mode is excessively stressful - the duration of the respiratory cycle is too long, inhalation and exhalation are too slow. In the process of breathing, all resources are spent on basic, so to speak, bodily technical moments, while there is practically no fine tuning of breathing. By fine-tuning, I mean inner work in areas such as relaxation, calmness, and awareness. This is the difference between rude breath and thin breath. In the first case, there is a purely power approach to breathing practice, in the second - breathing is considered as a process of fine tuning.

Underestimating the inner work on relaxation, maintaining calm and proper meditative state during breathing practice can lead to very unpleasant consequences. Intense (power) breathing gives a strong activation of ascending energy flows, especially if it is performed with open eyes. For half an hour of such intense breathing, you can get the strongest upper energy overload with such manifestations as high blood pressure and headache. If you set a too intense (unbearably slow) mode of breathing, you can get a strong overload on the heart with such manifestations as rapid heartbeat and pain in the heart area.

Calming the style of breathing practice is the complete opposite of the activating one. First of all, it differs in the internal psychological attitude of the practitioner. Breathing practice is perceived not as work, but as a rest, as an opportunity to relax and recuperate. This style is inherent in contemplative people, who are little capable of strenuous effort and self-overcoming. In this case, there is excessive relaxation, usually manifested in the inability to maintain a straight position of the spine and drowsiness during breathing practice. It is important for such people to pay special attention to the correct setting of the spine, as well as to the full retraction of the abdomen and genital area. They should know that the force of retraction with which they perform the Dan Tien bandha is completely insufficient, they must be retracted much more strongly. Such people can also be advised to breathe not with their eyes closed, but with their eyes open. In addition, they should replace the psychological setting regarding breathing practice, i.e., tune in not to rest, not to soft breathing for their own pleasure, but to work, to the effort of self-overcoming.

From a methodological point of view, full breathing can be used either as the main method of energy meditative practice, or as an auxiliary one. There are three different methods available here:

In the first variant, full breathing is used only as an auxiliary method preceding the main practice - meditation-presence or meditation-introspection. Therefore, the recommended breathing volume is relatively small and is only 10-15 minutes.

Another methodological option is also possible - more time-consuming, but also much more effective. In this case, full breathing is used, along with meditation, as the main method of energy meditative practice. In this version, the breathing practice that precedes further meditation is no longer performed for 10-15 minutes, but for 30-50 minutes. Thus, in each lesson, first, a full-fledged breathing practice is performed (30-50 minutes), and then meditation, also 30-50 minutes. This option is intended only for zealous students, for those who have a strong motivation and have their own time. It requires a high degree of organization and self-discipline, but the results obtained are truly amazing and exceed the wildest expectations.

8- 1. Breathing and health
From the very first moments of independent living, you began to rely on two main sources of ching to satisfy the needs of your body. When both of these ching, extracted from food and air respectively, are absorbed by the body, they are transformed into chi. The qi obtained from food is called shi qi (food qi), and the qi formed from the air is called kong qi (modern Chinese use the word kunqi to refer to air proper). The qi generated from these two sources is called postnatal qi, or fire qi. But despite the fact that the qi of Fire is necessary for the body, in the case of a poor quality of energy, it leads to accelerated degradation of the body. To have good health and live long, you need to take seriously the quality of these two main sources. Search the right products food and good air have always been one of the important parts of qigong. In this chapter, we will look at air qi and also talk about the benefits of breathing exercises.
To learn how to properly regulate our breathing, we must first understand how we inhale and exhale air. You must understand that the lungs are not able to suck in and push out air on their own. In order for air to enter the lungs and then exit back, the muscles must work,. surrounding the lungs and the pulmonary diaphragm - it is thanks to them that the expansion and contraction of the chest occurs. In the process of breathing, air oxygen is mixed in the pulmonary alveoli with blood, which is then released from the carbon dioxide brought by the bloodstream. The movement of the diaphragm up and down during the breathing process also massages internal organs and improves qi movement.
Oxygen dissolved in the blood is carried to every cell of the body, supporting its functioning. As a rule, when there is a lack of oxygen in the body, the brain is the first to feel it. The conducted experiments show that the oxygen demand of brain cells significantly exceeds that of, say, muscle tissue cells. With a lack of oxygen, a person feels dizzy, heaviness, inability to think clearly.
Usually, a newborn baby retains the ability to abdominal breathing. The breath of a newborn is usually longer than expiration. Since the child takes in much more oxygen in this way, his brain functions more clearly than the brain of an adult.
The breathing of a thirty-year-old person becomes more shallow, and, as a rule, the breath stops in the stomach, not reaching the lower part of the stomach. abdominal cavity. In this case, inhalation and exhalation are almost the same in duration. At this age, a person still receives enough oxygen to supply his body with it, the pulmonary diaphragm continues to actively move. This movement of the diaphragm maintains health. However, with age, breathing becomes more and more superficial, a person moves to clavicular-thoracic breathing. The exhalation is gradually lengthened, and the inhalation is reduced. The supply of oxygen to the tissues of the body becomes insufficient. During this period, a gradual loss of memory and thinking abilities begins, clarity of mind decreases. Shallow breathing leads to the fact that the pulmonary diaphragm moves not so actively and does not massage the internal organs. Qi stagnation occurs, which is accompanied by rapid degeneration of internal organs. The progressive lack of oxygen further accelerates the aging of body cells.
From the foregoing, you understand how important the breath plays in our health. In qigong practice, the regulation of breathing is one of the most serious aspects. In particular, the first step to maintaining health involves increasing the supply of oxygen to the tissues. You will need to “return to childhood” again, that is, learn how to breathe in the lower abdomen. This exercise is called fan tong - "return to childhood." When you get enough oxygen to your body, you can relax, clear your mind, and stimulate the movement of qi.
9- 2. Regulation of breathing
It is very important to learn how to regulate your breathing because by doing so you will be able to receive enough ching from the air, and also learn how to control air chi, preventing overstimulation of the body, which can become too yang due to this chi. You must monitor the quality of the air you breathe, as well as learn different breathing techniques used for different purposes. In the first stage of breath regulation, it will be calm, even and peaceful. The second step is to make your breathing deeper, softer, smoother and longer, which is a prerequisite for successful qigong practice.
In order to make your breathing calm, even and peaceful, you first need to engage in mind regulation. Remember that it is the mind that is the headquarters that controls your entire body. If your mind is in a restless and unstable state, it will cause violent emotions, and emotions are known to be closely related to breathing. For example, when you are angry, you breathe out more than you breathe in; in a state of distress, you inhale more strongly and exhale weaker. When your mind is peaceful and calm, the inhalation and exhalation are almost the same in duration.
Therefore, before beginning to learn qigong breathing techniques, it is first necessary to adjust the emotional mind. This, in turn, will help you regulate your breathing, and breathing, again, will allow you to calm your mind even more deeply. This mutually conditioned process should be repeated long enough until your breathing is full and even and your mind becomes unusually clear. In China, they say: xin xi xiang and, which in translation means "Heart (mind) and breath depend on each other." When you reach this meditative state, your heart rate will slow down and your mind will become much clearer - you will enter the realm of real meditation.
Generally, an agitated state of the emotional mind affects not only breathing but also qi circulation. You must understand that your emotions are connected with the activity of your internal organs. For example, anger can lead to an imbalance of qi in the liver. Happiness is able to make the heart too Yang. Fear can cause insufficient flow of qi to the bladder. As you can see, in order to regulate the qi of your body, you first need to regulate the emotional mind. This is where breath control will help you. The other side of the question is that you can use the breath to control your Self. If the rhythm and depth of breathing is uniform, you kind of hypnotize your Self with this, helping to calm it down. But there is another method of using the breath to control the Self: every time you eat bad food or breathe in bad air, you risk heartburn due to the excessive accumulation of Fire qi, which is usually located in the Middle Danupyan (solar plexus area); this excess of Fire Chi excites your emotions and disrupts the Wisdom Mind (Self). By regulating your breathing, you will not only dissolve excess heat in the heart area, but also calm your emotional mind (xin), and at the same time the Self.
We have already come to the conclusion about the interdependence that exists between the Self and breath. Deep, calm breathing helps you relax, clears your mind, and fills your lungs with plenty of clean air, so your brain and the rest of your body get the oxygen they need. In addition, deep and full breathing promotes the movement of the diaphragm, which massages and stimulates the internal organs. It is for this reason that deep breathing exercises are also called "exercises of the internal organs."
Finally, as another consideration, regulating the breath not only brings the mind into a deeper and more peaceful state of meditation, but also helps bring qi to the limbs and the surface of the skin. By bringing qi to the limbs, it can open the channels in them and complete the Great Circle of Heaven, as well as increase the efficiency of the muscles, bringing them into a state of higher energy saturation, which is necessary in martial arts. When Qi effectively reaches the skin, you get the opportunity to strengthen and increase the field of Protective Qi, which can protect you from diseases caused by external negative influences.
Below we will review the thirteen methods of breathing regulation used in qigong, starting with the most basic and ending with the most advanced. True, since the most advanced methods are quite complex both in theory and in practice, it is not possible to fully consider them in this book. They will be described in more detail in subsequent editions.

9- 3. Various methods of regulating breathing in qigong
Over the past four thousand years of study and experimentation, many types of breath regulation have been created. Each technique has a unique theoretical foundation and a specific purpose. All these techniques are called tiao xi, which means “regulation of breathing”. They are also often called tuna, which means "to emit and absorb." The latter name is more often used when inhalation is through the nose, and exhalation through the mouth. There are many types of qigong, so the methods of regulating breathing are classified by difficulty, from the simplest to the most difficult. Here we will look at thirteen breathing techniques that are most common in Chinese Qigong.
1. Natural breathing
When starting to practice qigong, many people try to start with the most difficult breathing techniques. However, deep breathing techniques are best learned after mastering the techniques of everyday breathing.
You must understand that natural breathing is constantly influenced by your thoughts and emotions. For example, when you are anxious or stressed, your breathing speeds up, and when you are sad or depressed, your breathing slows down. The duration of the cycles of inhalation and exhalation also depends on the emotions experienced. For a person who is feeling happy, the exhalation is longer than the inhalation, and for the one who is sad, the inhalation is longer. As you can see, you have been using breath control techniques for a long time, although you do it unconsciously. A person can breathe in different ways. For example, in young children and some adults, the habit of abdominal breathing persists; most middle-aged people breathe from the stomach, and the elderly most often use chest breathing. Regardless of how you breathe, the purpose of this process is to fill your lungs with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from your body. Although we are talking about abdominal breathing, in fact, the air does not pass (at least it should not) into the lower torso. If air enters your digestive tract, it will cause a sharp pain, so it must be exhaled immediately.
The regulation of natural breathing implies, first of all, the regulation of the habitual rhythm of breathing. You should not deliberately change the habitual rhythm of breathing during practice, as this will put your YI in an unusual state.
and thus distract him from the control of ordinary actions and sensations. The regulation of natural breathing involves the concentration of the mind on understanding the habitual process of breathing, on the feeling of how you breathe -
and, finally, on bringing the breath into a more relaxed and smooth mode.
To regulate natural breathing, you must first bring yourself into a natural and comfortable state. Your mind must get rid of emotional overstrain. Then you should learn to feel the muscles directly related to the respiratory process. Gradually, your mind will bring these muscles to a more relaxed state, and you will be able to sense or feel the movement of chi.
For practice, any posture, any position of the body in which you feel natural and comfortable, will do. Breathe through your nose. Do not try to actively control the breath, just pay attention to this process, trying to feel it. Breathe softly and smoothly. Remember that the ultimate goal of training is to make your natural breathing 1) calm (ching), 2) fine (xi),
3) deep (shen), 4) long (yu), and 5) uniform (yun). At the end of the chapter, we will look at these characteristics in more detail.
After a while, you will be able to control your own breathing without the use of conscious effort, while breathing itself will move to a new level. But the most important thing is the experience that you will get by doing the technique of regulating natural breathing. This experience will serve as a sprout from which a tree will grow to understand your needs as you learn more advanced breathing techniques.

2. Chest breathing
Thoracic breathing, or breathing by expanding and contracting the chest, is one of the main methods of regulating breathing; this method is especially common in external styles of martial qigong, as well as in preparation for deep breathing. Chest breathing increases the vital volume of the lungs and, consequently, increases the intensity of oxygen-carbon dioxide metabolism. In addition, it helps to hold your breath longer. Practitioners of external styles of martial arts use chest breathing to increase the amount of air qi they absorb, which they need to provide muscle work. Chest breathing is also used by weightlifters and people involved in heavy physical labor.
While doing chest breathing, keep your mind and chest muscles relaxed. Excessive overexertion of the respiratory muscles and the mind leads to increased oxygen consumption. In the practice of external styles of martial arts (such as the Tiger style), the qi of the air is directed to the limbs when exhaled. The more you practice, the more effectively you will be able to achieve this. Of course, in the process of chest breathing, the anterior abdominal wall
the cavity moves very slightly; but you have to understand that external martial arts fans only begin to pay attention to the abdominal cavity with age: as a rule, after thirty years they begin to "lower" their breath lower and lower into the stomach.
For internal martial artists, increasing lung capacity is not as important a factor as it is for external martial artists. Thus, adherents of internal styles believe that with an increase in lung capacity, the amount of Fire qi (air qi) absorbed also increases, which can confuse and distract the mind, as well as increase Fire throughout the body. Those who practice internal qigong, by regulating breathing, mean directing the breath to the lower abdomen, to the Dan Tian, ​​and not expanding the chest.
Before we wrap up our consideration of chest breathing, I would like to point out that your lungs behave like a rubber belt: the more you stretch them, the wider they become. However, after a long practice of chest breathing (or after performing a large amount of heavy physical exercise), you should not stop breathing suddenly and completely - after a significant expansion of the lungs, a sudden stop can lead to the collapse of part of the lung tissue, and this is already fraught with problems, such as pneumonia. If you decide to stop these activities, you should gradually reduce the intensity of the exercises, allowing the lungs to adjust to this. Among those practicing external styles of martial qigong, there are often cases when a person loses the ability to do certain exercises with age, as a result of which he can no longer stretch his lungs. As a result, lung capacity is significantly reduced. This leads to the fact that the muscles, accustomed to receiving a significant amount of oxygen, become decrepit faster than in an ordinary person. This state is called sangun (energy dissipation).
Obviously, you have already understood that if you do not practice external martial arts, there is no reason for you to develop the habit of chest breathing. Still, there are advantages to using chest breathing intermittently. First, you will thus revitalize the cells in those parts of the lungs that are usually underused, thereby preventing tissue degeneration. Second, intense chest breathing increases the flow of air qi, so you can direct more qi to the skin. This helps to open the tiny channels of qi in the skin and strengthen the protective qi.

3. Normal abdominal breathing
Abdominal breathing is the basis of Nei Dan Qigong (Inner Elixir Qigong). In abdominal breathing, or, as it is also called, Dan Tian breathing, there are two options: normal abdominal breathing (nzheng fu hu xi) and reverse abdominal breathing (fan fuhusi). First, consider the technique of ordinary abdominal breathing.
Normal abdominal breathing is the next step in the preparation of the beginner after mastering the technique of chest breathing. The abdominal breathing method is a deep breathing exercise that is different from the chest breathing technique. Proper deep breathing involves slow and deep breaths, in which the air descends all the way to Dang Pian. It requires relaxation and concentration of the mind. This type of breathing is called fan tong or "return to childhood" breathing because it is deep, soft and natural, like a child's. Abdominal breathing is the first step in mastering Nei Dan Qigong.
In the process of abdominal breathing, the lungs expand and contract due to the efforts of the muscles of the diaphragm and the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity, and not the muscles of the chest. The conventional abdominal breathing technique has the following advantages.
A. Internal massage
During abdominal breathing, the diaphragm and the muscles of the lower abdomen constantly move back and forth. This movement massages the internal organs, stimulating the movement of qi and blood around and within the organs themselves. Such massage maintains the healthy condition of the organs, preserves their strength, and also avoids stagnation of qi, which is one of the main causes of diseases.
B. Increased tone of the abdominal muscles
Because children naturally use abdominal breathing, their abdominal muscles are in constant motion. This not only promotes the circulation of qi around the internal organs, but also expands the qi channels that connect the front of the body to the legs and back. As a rule, when abdominal breathing stops, the flow of qi through the Control Channel in the back begins to slow down. This weakens the ability of the Governing Channel to regulate the movement of qi throughout the body, and also allows many diseases to manifest.
B. Increasing the efficiency of the qi flow from the kidneys to the lower dan tian
One of the goals of Qigong practice is to strengthen the Water Qi (Original Qi) generated from the Jing that is found in the kidneys. We have already said that Water Qi is collected in the Lower Dan Tian. Muscular contraction of the anterior abdominal wall promote the movement of qi from the kidneys to the Lower Dan Tian and its preservation there. The more you practice abdominal breathing, the more qi will flow into Danupian, which means that the process of transforming jing will be more effective. Abdominal breathing acts as a kind of engine, capable of converting fuel into energy more efficiently than conventional motors can (due to which fuel economy is achieved).

D. Increasing Water Qi
By learning to increase the efficiency of the process of converting jing into qi, you will thereby be able to generate more water qi (Original qi). Strong Water Qi is a key factor in qigong practice. Water Qi can calm the mind, strengthen your will and strengthen your spirit. Since Water Qi is the main means of cooling Fire Qi, you are thus able to maintain your health and prolong your life. Because normal abdominal breathing is important part practitioners of Buddhist qigong styles, it is often referred to as "Buddhist breathing". To perform this type of breathing, you will first need to use your Yi to control the abdominal muscles. As you inhale, deliberately push out your lower abdomen, and as you exhale, pull it in. Performing this exercise at first for ten minutes three times a day, in a month you will be able to return to the natural rhythm of abdominal breathing, which was characteristic of you in your deep childhood. You must remember one thing important rule: Don't hold your breath. Your breathing should be smooth, natural, comfortable and long lasting. Deep abdominal breathing is performed by the lower abdomen so you don't have to expand and contract chest. Instead, imagine that you are drawing air into your lower abdomen.

4. Reverse abdominal breathing
The Reverse Abdominal Breathing Technique is widely used by practitioners of Taoist qigong styles, which is why it is often referred to as "Taoist breathing." By making movements with your stomach, you thereby strengthen your health in the same way as with normal abdominal breathing. However, in Reverse Abdominal Breathing, you pull your stomach in on the inhale and push it out on the exhale. There are several reasons for this. The most basic ones are listed below.
A. Greater efficiency in directing the qi flow to the extremities
As you exhale, you expand your Defensive Chi field. When you inhale, you maintain the level of qi or even absorb the surrounding qi. Experience teaches that by consciously trying to expand the qi during exhalation, it is much easier to stretch the abdominal muscles instead of simply relaxing them. To verify this, try inflating a balloon while placing your palm on your stomach. You will find that your belly expands as you exhale rather than retracting. Or another example: imagine that you are pushing a car. To create more force, you need to exhale at the moment of the push. But if you pay attention to the movement of the abdomen during this, you will understand that the muscles of the abdomen are again expanding intensively. If you draw in the stomach during the push, it turns out that the effort is much less, and the sensations arise unnatural. Now imagine that you are cold and want to absorb the energy of the environment. You will notice that your inhalation has become longer than your exhalation and that with each inhalation your belly is drawn in instead of expanding.
Taoists who practice qigong have discovered that when you deliberately try to expand (or condense) your qi field, your belly moves in the opposite direction of normal breathing. In particular, they realized that the reverse breathing technique is a strategic tool to help channel the movement of qi more effectively. You will see first hand that the main advantage of the Taoist Reverse Abdominal Breathing technique is the ability to direct qi to the extremities more easily and naturally than with normal abdominal breathing. By mastering the technique of coordinating the Self, Breathing and Qi, you will be able to direct the Qi energy to any part of your body.
B. For martial arts
The internal styles of martial arts that are created by the Taoists seem to be more advanced than Buddhist styles or any other martial arts. This is because the Taoists found and implemented more effective ways than anything else to direct the flow of qi to any part of the body. The main factor determining success in this case is the technique of reverse abdominal breathing.
C. More effective use of Qi in Qigong Bone Marrow Washing
In Bone Marrow Qigong, the Reverse Abdominal Breathing technique is able to raise the qi from lower extremities to the brain more effectively than can be done with the help of Buddhist techniques.
Despite the many positive aspects that reverse abdominal breathing has, this technique is also not free from some disadvantages and problems. Qigong practitioners who use Taoist breathing should be aware of these potential problems (especially during the initial training period). The main ones are listed below.

a. Chest strain
During the study of reverse abdominal breathing, the diaphragm descends on inspiration, and the front wall of the abdomen is retracted. Retraction of the abdominal wall causes an upward increase in internal pressure, which makes it even more difficult for the diaphragm to move downward. All this together can cause excessive overexertion and squeezing in the area of ​​the solar plexus, leading to stagnation of qi. Such symptoms are most common in those who have only recently begun to practice the technique of reverse abdominal breathing.
A pressure point below the solar plexus can cause some problems, such as stomach pain, diarrhea, or even chest pain. Overexertion and pressure can also lead to an increase in heart rate. Such side effects make the body too positive, lead to confusion and disunity of the mind, so that the person becomes impatient and his will fickle. Attempts to courageously endure these feelings do not add any experience in the practice of qigong. On the contrary, it will only cause malaise and interfere with quality training.
Many qigong masters recommend that their students do normal abdominal breathing until the student feels natural. Only then do they begin to practice studying reverse abdominal breathing. Reverse abdominal breathing begins with small movements of the abdomen, coordinated with the inhalation-exhalation process. During practice, you should always pay attention to the Middle Burner (the area between the solar plexus and the navel), making sure that it is relaxed and feels normal. After a few months of practice, you will find some possibility of compromise, allowing you to do the reverse breathing deep enough and at the same time keep the chest in a relaxed state. If you reach this stage, then you have mastered the most important thing in Taoist breathing. After practicing long enough, you will realize that conscious mind control is not necessary to perform this breath. With each Qigong practice, breathing will occur naturally.
The final stage in mastering reverse abdominal breathing is to move the abdominal muscles in a circle (Fig. 9-1). In this case, your breathing will no longer cause tension in the area of ​​​​the Middle Heater. Long and patient studies will gradually make this breathing option completely familiar to you.
b. Holding your breath
Because backward breathing can cause tension and pressure in the chest, some students subconsciously try to hold their breath. For a beginner in qigong, it is very important to remember that holding the breath during practice is very harmful. There are some exercises that require such a delay, but in other cases it is necessary to ensure that the breathing remains even and constant.

5. Breath delay
Breath-holding is training methodology used when you want to direct your qi to a specific area of ​​the body and keep it there. For example, wushu practitioners (especially those who practice external styles) generate qi in the limbs and then hold their breath. This forces the qi to remain in the limbs so that it can then be used in combat. Or another, more trivial example: if you happen to push a car, you must have noticed that after the maximum exertion of effort, you involuntarily hold your breath, thus trying to prolong the effect of force. In internal qigong styles, it is not uncommon for practitioners to direct the qi to a specific point on the body and then gently hold their breath. This can be done in order to raise the energy potential at a certain point and remove a block in the path of energy movement. When an internal wushu practitioner receives an internal injury, he often directs qi to the site of injury and keeps it there for a short time, energizing the injured area and thereby speeding up the healing process. At the same time, he should gently hold his breath, maintaining a relaxed state of the body - this helps to feel the qi and direct it to the right place.
As you can see, mastering the breath holding is a higher level of qigong practice than those previously described. Before proceeding with this, you must master the correct breathing techniques, understand the qi of your body, otherwise you can pretty much harm yourself. You should also understand that without knowing all the intricacies of the theory and practice of qigong, holding your breath can even be dangerous - this is especially true of Nei Dan Qigong. In this case, holding the breath leads to the accumulation of qi and its subsequent stagnation. If this collected qi begins to accumulate in the area of ​​​​an active point or internal organ, then it can disrupt the vital activity of the body. A beginner can easily hold qi in the area of ​​the solar plexus or heart; however, the inept execution of this technique can damage the heart and even cause death. You must complete the Lesser Circle and the Greater Circle before you begin the breath-hold training.
In external styles of qigong, holding the breath does not pose such a serious danger as in internal styles. Most external styles work with the accumulation of qi in the limbs. The stagnation of qi in the limbs is not as dangerous as the energy stagnant somewhere inside the body, where it can affect the internal organs.

In the practice of Nei Dan Qigong, there are three main purposes of holding the breath.
A. Bringing Qi to the physical boundaries of the body or beyond it
Remember that when practicing Nei Dan, you must remain relaxed and calm in order to be able to direct the Qi to the surface of the skin. As a rule, it is extremely difficult to direct qi to the hair or beyond the skin without special training. Nei Dan Qigong practitioners have found that gently holding the breath after bringing qi to the surface of the skin allows the qi to be directed further with the mind. When qi is retained in the skin, its potential increases; this opens millions of tiny qi channels in the skin. This makes it easier for qi to penetrate beyond the physical boundaries of the body. The longer you train, the farther out of the body you will be able to spread your life energy. In China, they say: “Pass Qi as if it were passing through a pearl with a hole that has nine bends, so that even the most secluded places are not left untouched.” You must be able to bring qi to every part of your body, from the depths of the marrow to the removal of it beyond your own skin.
B. Movement of qi without coordination with breathing
You know that as the front wall of the abdominal cavity draws in and out, qi comes out of the Dan Tian. Beginners usually need to coordinate this process with the rhythm of the breath in order to be effective. After a few years of practice, you will be able to direct qi (or, as it is commonly said, generate qi) solely at the will of your mind, without coordinating with the breathing process. To achieve this, on a short time hold your breath while maintaining a completely relaxed body position. Move your lower abdomen in and out, directing the qi up or down without coordinating its movement with your breath. If you manage to achieve this, then you have "plucked a small grass" (cai xiao yao). This means that the beginner, on the one hand, begins to use his qigong knowledge (he lifts what he intends to use later), and on the other hand, he lifts qi (grass) up the spine. This exercise is done on initial stage Qigong studies, when most practitioners still need auxiliary movements of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity to coordinate the movement of qi with the opening and closing of the Huiyin point and the anus.
B. "Hibernation State"
One of the highest levels of qigong mastery is to learn how to use the incoming oxygen more efficiently. The main element of preparation for this is holding the breath. You must learn to maintain a calm and relaxed state even with a complete cessation of air intake. Your meditative mind must reach the level total immersion into meditation, like animals hibernating; while the heart rate will slow down significantly. By learning to use oxygen more efficiently, you will begin to breathe less and less, you will be able to enter a state of deep sleep. We will consider this type of breathing a little later.
6. Breathing with maximum inhalation and exhalation
In this type of abdominal breathing, inhalation and exhalation are carried out as deeply as possible, coordinated with the movements of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity. In addition, one should try to increase the duration of each respiratory cycle. With each inhalation and exhalation, make a light sound. There are several important aspects to learning this type of breathing.
A. Abdominal breathing with full inhalation and exhalation, like chest breathing already described, increases the amount of oxygen absorbed, and at the same time increases the output of carbon dioxide. However, this exercise is more perfect than chest breathing, as qi accumulates in the dan tian due to the movements of the abdomen. This exercise also trains the ability of the muscles of the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity to contract and stretch as much as possible.
B. Pronouncing a light sound during a full inhalation and exhalation, you thereby raise your YI and spirit, bringing them to the maximum level. This will help you bring the qi to the surface of the skin or concentrate it in the center of your body (or in the marrow).
While doing this type of breathing, keep your body as relaxed as possible. Your mind must be calm and clear so that you can bring the qi to the surface of the skin and concentrate it in the marrow. This type of breathing should not be made into a permanent habit - perform it only occasionally to revitalize those parts of the lungs that are not involved in the normal respiratory cycle. Full respiration is an important element of skin respiration, which we will discuss below.

7. Body breathing (ti si), or skin breathing (fu si)
Body or skin breathing is one of the main goals in qigong breathing techniques. In the process of such breathing, your whole body inhales qi through the surface of the skin. As you exhale, you bring qi to your skin, and the pores of the skin

are revealed. When you inhale, you draw in the qi of the environment, and the pores of the body close. If you manage to bring qi to the surface of the skin as you exhale, it will feel like you have opened your skin to the rays of the hot sun on a winter day. Under the scorching sun, your pores open wide, absorbing (or releasing) energy with ease. But in qigong practice, you must use your mind to direct the qi to the skin and thus energize all the pores from within. When the pores receive the necessary energy charge, they will open wide; then you breathe in, the qi goes in and the pores close. After practicing qigong for a while, you will want the qi to reach every cell of your body—especially your skin. Skin breathing helps to open the pores for fresh air, which removes from them all the harmful waste products that have accumulated there. Bringing qi to the skin is an absolutely necessary step if you want to learn how to bring qi beyond own body. If you master this technique, you will be able to direct qi literally anywhere. At the same time, your body will have enough qi, and the movement of energy will be uninterrupted and uniform. Thus, the skill of skin breathing is also a key element in maintaining health and longevity.
Mastering bodily breathing, focus your attention on the Dan Tian and at the same time imagine that your body and qi are like a huge beach ball. Each time you breathe in, your yi gathers qi in the center of your body, causing the ball to shrink. As you exhale, the imaginary ball expands. If you understand this subtlety, you will soon find that the chi ball gradually expands, covering your entire body. Moreover, as you breathe, the Qi ball will also pulsate, breathe (Fig. 9-2).
In Taoist sources, this technique of bodily or skin breathing is considered one of the fu qi fa (methods of subordinating qi); it is part of the ling bao bi fa ("Spiritual Treasure Method for Reaching the End"). When mastering this method, begin by taking a full breath, consciously holding the air inside your body. Then exhale slowly. During the practice, skin or bodily breathing will occur. After enough long workouts you will be able to extend the duration of the breathing cycles by reaching the goal of gui xi (turtle breathing). It is believed that the ability of a turtle to live for several hundred years lies in its ability to perform air exchange through the surface of the skin.

8. Breathing through the palms and feet
In the theory of Chinese meditation, there are five centers (wu xin) of the human body. They are considered to be the gates through which the qi inside the body communicates with the qi of the environment. These centers are: the face, two Yongquan points on the soles of the feet (Fig. 9-3), as well as two Laogong points located in the center of the palms (Fig. 9-4). The Taoist Han Xuzu said: "The feet breathe constantly and continuously, gently existing."
Chuang Tzu stated: "An ordinary person breathes through his mouth, but a real person (immortal) breathes through his feet."
The main purposes of these gates or centers are listed below.
A. Regulating the level of qi within the body
For example, if the body is too positive due to high temperature, these five gates release qi, cooling it down. Very common in Chinese medicine the remedy for the heat is to dip your feet in cold water, and put a little alcohol in the center of your palms and blow on it. This accelerates the decline in bodily qi and therefore cools the body temperature. Do you know that in the summer heat, rinsing your face and hands helps to prevent overheating? cold water. Do you remember how pleasant it is to plunge your hands into a cold stream?
B. Feeling the environment
Probably, you often happened to feel hot or cold at the beginning of the face or the central points of the palms. This is because these places are centers or gateways that allow you to communicate directly with the environment. Before your body can control the level of Defensive Chi, you must learn to feel everything that is happening to the Chi around you. Although the centers of the feet are quite suitable for this, they are not as sensitive as they could be, because we are used to wearing shoes.
B. Absorbing qi from outside the body
When you are cold, you warm your hands, face and feet with warm water. If you have a cold, then immersing your feet and hands in warm water will warm you up, as you can absorb the qi from the environment through this gate and nourish your body with it. In Chinese Qigong, it is very important to learn how to absorb the Qi of the environment - mastering this skill effectively will cut down on the amount of food and air your body needs.
Generally speaking, among these five centers, the most significant and sensitive is the face. All gates work in both directions: you are able to feel what is happening outside, but at the same time you have the ability to feel what is happening inside you. Your face is the first to determine what the air temperature is; moreover, four of your five senses are located on your face and head. On the other hand, your face unambiguously reflects your emotions, and often it can even determine what you are thinking about. In the center of your palms are Laogong points. This is the gate that brings qi to the skin of the entire palm and fingers. The more qi flows through your palms, the more it will enter the skin of the entire hand, which means that your tactile sensitivity will increase more. Good qi movement in the hands is very important for manual laborers, which is why these points are called "Palaces of Labor" (Laogong). The same role is played by active points on the soles of the feet.

They are called "Spouting Springs" (Yongquan) because they constantly flow qi.
Because these five gates play a key role in regulating the Qi of the entire body, Qigong practitioners train their ability to effectively control the flow of Qi in these five areas. They learn not only how to release excess qi, but also how to absorb qi from the environment. This practice helps them regulate the amount of qi in their body by using natural qi from the environment, which is considered to be purer than the postnatal qi generated from food and air ching.
Those who practice medical qigong especially train the two gates on their palms in order to increase the effectiveness of their actions in regulating the amount of qi in a patient. Wushu practitioners also train these two gates in order to more effectively guide qi to the hands, energizing the muscles. It also increases the ability of the fighters to sense the opponent's energy (in internal martial arts, this skill is called "listening to the skin"). In addition, wushu wrestlers train gates on their feet to jump higher, run faster, and kick harder. Already from these examples it is clear that the management of qi in each of the five gates is a serious aspect of learning any style of Chinese qigong.
In the previous section, we talked about how the pores of the skin are millions of tiny qi gates that allow you to sense the environment and exchange qi with it. Unfortunately, people have been protecting their bodies with clothes and shoes from the influence of natural conditions for quite a long time; therefore, we all have lost much of the sensitivity that we once had (and that animals still have). However, the sensitivity of the hands and face remained virtually unchanged.
In order to control the movement of qi at the gate, you must learn to breathe through the centers of your hands and feet. In this case, "breathing" refers to the exchange between the qi of the body and the qi of the environment, carried out with the help of special breathing techniques. Generally speaking, the easiest way to achieve this is to do Taoist reverse abdominal breathing. In the Taoist system of training, qi is drawn from the limbs to the center of the body when inhaling. As you do this, you must imagine that you are absorbing the qi of the environment through these gates or centers. As you exhale, you must direct the qi to the gate and release it into the surrounding space (Fig. 9-5). As a result of prolonged training, you will learn to feel how these five gates are involved in the process of breathing. You should practice until this type of breathing becomes natural for you, until you need to concentrate more consciously on doing it. Remember: Breathing should be regulated as long as there is a need for conscious control. Naturally, before you can master breathing through the qi gate, you must master all the breathing techniques described earlier.

9. Piercing breath (guan qi)
Piercing breath refers to breathing techniques high level. As a rule, mastering this technique is started when the energy, or qi, of the body has already become transparent. Piercing Breathing will teach you how to direct qi to any part of the body, coordinating this process with the normal rhythm of breathing. The need for this type of breathing technique is explained by such reasons.
A. Adjustment of qi within the body
Often during the practice of qigong, there is a feeling that the level of qi in one area of ​​the body is higher than in another. It is in this case that the penetrating breathing method allows you to very effectively direct qi to other parts in order to balance it. This technique can also be used to regulate abnormal qi accumulations caused by disease.
B. Raising Pure Qi and Lowering Polluted Qi
The desire to achieve higher meditative states through qigong practice requires that you "siege" or lower the polluted Fire Qi, raising pure Water Qi in return. The penetrating breath method is also used to swap the positions of Water Qi and Fire Qi. In China, this method is called Kan-JIu (Fire-Water).
At the same time, the Fire Qi descends into the Dan Tian, ​​where it can be calmed and controlled. In Qigong practice, another method is often used, when the Fire Qi descends to the soles of the feet, and the Water Qi rises to the top of the head, thus opposing energy flows permeate the entire body from top to bottom.
C. Opening the Qi Channels and Blood Vessels
The Piercing Breathing Technique can not only help complete the Great Qi Circulation, but also open other Qi channels in addition to the twelve main channels.
As you can see, the penetrating breathing technique involves stimulating qi within the body, a process quite different from skin breathing and gate breathing, in which qi is exchanged with the environment. The main condition for the successful performance of this type of breathing is complete relaxation of the body (the third level of relaxation), which allows qi to move freely. The second requirement is that your mind must be inside your body, not outside—because if your mind is outside your body, how can you sense and direct qi? However, we will consider the regulation of the mind a little later, but now we will note that it is very important to coordinate the process of breathing with the mind and qi. Naturally, a beginner will not be able to master this technique with one cavalry charge - usually the assimilation process takes at least ten years.
In conclusion, I would like to recall that many aspects discussed in this book are presented in the form of general information, the basics of understanding qigong. It is impossible to master all the intricacies of this ancient art on your own by reading this book alone. In any case, follow the rule: You can’t look high, but walk low, and sooner or later you will definitely come to your cherished goal.

10. "Breath of sleep" (dongmian fa)
One of the higher stages of qigong involves training the spirit so that it can leave the physical body and travel freely. In this case, your spirit will leave the body for a rather long period of time (sometimes such a “journey” lasts for several months). In order to keep the physical body alive without food while the spirit is out of it, you must slow down your heart rate, minimize your energy intake while using it to its maximum efficiency. All this becomes possible thanks to the "breath of hibernation". Breathing almost stops, becoming extremely light and shallow. The hibernation breathing technique is also used in Indian yoga.
Before you begin to study the "sleep breath", you must first master the technique of still meditation in a fairly deep way. You must train your body through fasting and other techniques, accustoming it to slowly and efficiently process the accumulated food ching into chi energy. Your body must be completely relaxed and transparent to the movement of qi. Naturally, before your spirit can separate from your physical body, you will most likely need to complete the practice of spiritual enlightenment. According to written sources
By washing the bone marrow, a person who has become a monk or a hermit is able to achieve this goal in about twelve years of training.

11. Shen breathing (shen xi)
In religious qigong, shen breathing is one of the final techniques in preparation for separating the shen from the body. As soon as the mind of a person enters a stable state of deep peace and tranquility, the shen breath connects the shen with the breath so that both of them merge into a single whole. Since the strategy for controlling the movement of chi is based on breathing, your Shen will only be able to effectively control chi when it becomes one with the process of breathing.
Naturally, you will first need to learn how to hold your shen (shou shen) and then strengthen it (gu shen). “Holding” here refers to the ability to protect, nurture the Shen by keeping it in its permanent habitat, while “strengthening” refers to the ability to keep the Shen intact and united, increase its strength and effectively control it when it is in the Upper Dan Tian. Having reached this level, you will learn how to use your Self to take the Shen out of its habitat, and later on you will be able to separate it from the physical body. In order to successfully complete this final stage, you will first need to learn Shen breathing. When you first begin to learn how to move the shen, at first it does not stray far from its store, like a small child who tries not to stray far from home on his first walks.

The Taoists say about this:
“Shen is the master of qi, he moves qi and stops it. Breathing is the secret key to moving Qi back and forth. The secret key must have a master (shen), and the master must have a Ya. Three things (shen, breath, and Ya) must be used at the same time. Then it will be a truly wonderful and skillful kung fu of heavenly circulation. If one of the three is missing, then it is difficult to achieve the final goal.
From the above, you understand that the shen is the control center of qi, which moves simultaneously with it. The secret to controlling the movement of qi lies in breathing. However, the most important thing is that behind the shen is the Self, which ultimately controls the whole process. The Taoists say the following about it:
“Shen and Qi move and stop together, but not separately. I remain in the center of the palace, like the axle of a wagon. Wheels (shen and qi) and axle (support each other). The axle itself doesn't move, but it allows the wheels to turn."
Shen and qi move together like wheels. However, these wheels are guided and steered by an axle. This axis is your mind (I). The mind seeks to maintain a central position in order to control what is happening, but it should not control the movement of the wheels. The Taoist Zi Yangzu said: "Slowly watch the hearth with medicinal plants and watch the time (of preparation), but keep peace in the shen breath and do not interfere with nature." The meaning of this statement is that when increasing the amount of qi in the Dan Tian, ​​everything should happen slowly and naturally. You need to watch the time to notice when the herbal decoction is ready. But at the same time, you must maintain a calm Shen breathing rhythm, allowing it to flow naturally. The deep meaning of the phrase is as follows: you should train until the Shen breathing becomes natural and until you need to regulate it with the help of Yi. In one of the Taoist treatises there is such a maxim: In eyes. The Great Tao (has) neither form nor appearance.

12. Real breath (zhen xi)
True breathing, or zhen xi, is obtained by regulating normal breathing. From the real breath, germinal breath is developed. After regulating normal breathing, you begin to develop abdominal breathing; while qi is directed from the kidneys to the lower dan tian. This is how the foundations of real breathing are laid. What is "real breath"? The Chinese say: "The inner essence of 'real breath' (is) that the qi moves up and down a few inches below the navel (Dantian)."
There is another expression: “Real breath”, one closes, one arises, above it does not contradict the heart, and below it does not contradict the kidneys. A "real person" (can) dive into deep water, swim fast, (but still) maintain a control center. Here, the expression “one closes and one arises” means that qi expands and contracts. This statement explains the meaning of real breathing, in which the qi generated in the Dan Tian moves up and down. When moving up, it does not disturb the work of the heart, and moving down, it does not affect the normal functions of the kidneys. The heart and kidneys are the most important organs for the life of the body, so they should always have a normal level of qi. That is why it is important in qigong practice not to let the excess energy generated affect the normal functioning of the internal organs of your body. A “real person” is one who has learned the technique of real breathing, whose qi is able to penetrate into every corner of the body. Regardless of how such qi moves, the mind (yi) must remain in the dan tian, or "ruling center".

Or this quote: “The real breath seems to be here, but it seems to be gone, soft and non-stop, which is called “internal breathing.” (Although) the outward normal breathing is stopped, the inner rhythm of up and down movement remains in the Dan Tian.” In a Taoist text called "Ling Yuan Ge" ("Song of the Spiritual Source"), there are these lines: "Focus on (training) qi until it becomes soft, and the shen cannot remain long time, naturally and effortlessly entering and exiting "true breathing". The last quote contains the key to understanding the process of real breathing: to master the qi is obtained from the jing of food and air. Original Qi is generally considered Yin Qi, or Water Qi; Postnatal qi is considered Yang qi, or fire qi.
There is a saying in China: “Growing big grass is no different from growing everything between heaven and earth. After all, it's just Yang and Yin, two qi. When two qi provide each other and become one, heaven and earth interact.” This means that in order to grow an herb (Elixir) you must have both Yin Qi and Yang Qi. Both qi must interact with each other to make a living being (grass). Here, grass or a living being means an embryo, symbolizing the beginning of a new life. Daoist Zhang Ziqiong said, “Don't help the miraculous breath and don't forget about it. For cultivating human nature (Tao), one should understand this kung fu. Regulate the two qi to produce the embryonic breath. Then create your hearth (herb or Elixir) in it.” This saying means that in the process of cultivating your Tao, you should neither concentrate (help) on the magical breathing technique, nor ignore (forget) it. To reach the stage of embryonic breathing, you must learn to regulate Yang and Yin Chi. If you learn this, you will be able to produce Elixir.

What is embryonic respiration? On this occasion, the ancients said: “(When) the shen is hidden in the qi cavity, it is called the germ. When the (postnatal) qi is able to reach the cavity, it is called breathing. Before we continue, let's look at what the word "cavity" means in this sentence. In qigong theory, several places in the human body are called yuan qiao, that is, the "original cavity", or "original key point". One such place is Huanting, or the Yellow Court. This name is especially common among the Taoists, as the Taoists always wore yellow robes. The cavity, or point, Huangting is located inside the body at the level of the navel, in front of the Mingmen point (Fig. 9-6). This place is the center of gravity of the body. This is the place where the development of fetal cells begins. With Fetal Breathing, your Shen can move to the Huangting point, and Postnatal Qi can reach that point. Then Yang-chi and Yin-chi interact with each other, and a new "baby" is born. Taoist Li Qing'an said: “Shen and ^ unite, giving rise to superspiritual qualities; blue and breath depend on each other, giving life to the sacred germ. Here, xin stands for mind and shen at the same time.
The Taoist treatise Wu Zhen Pian (Treatise on the Realization of Truth*) says: “There are three types of breathing: from gross to subtle, inhaling and exhaling through the nose is breathing through the nose. Maintaining the center (Lower Dan Tian), raising and lowering is Qi breathing. (When) it is especially calm and returns to its source - it is called Shen breathing. Therefore, in order to count (i.e. evaluate), breathing (nose breathing) is not as high as the regulation of (true abdominal) breathing, and breathing regulation is not as high as shen breathing. When the breath
Classical work of Zhang Boduan (XI century) on Taoist "inner alchemy".

the shen becomes peaceful, the shen then gathers at the qi point (.huangting), then the breath is really deep.”
This saying contains an explanation of the different levels of breathing. First, you must be trained from coarse breathing through the nose to fine breathing—in other words, to the point where breathing becomes relaxed, deep, regular, and natural. After that, it will be possible to move on to abdominal breathing, and then to the present. Finally, after the real breathing stage, you can start training your Shen breathing until your Shen and Postnatal Qi can reach the Huangting point. After that, a sacred germ will arise and the Elixir will be formed.
At the end of this section, we note that the practitioner of qigong must definitely learn the correct ways to regulate his own breathing. There are many ways to regulate breathing, which we have classified from the simplest and most basic to the most profound and complex. To reach the highest stage, embryonic breathing, you must begin by regulating ordinary breathing, which is called bi si, that is, "breathing through the nose." After adjusting your normal breathing, you will be able to move on to abdominal breathing, which will allow you to accumulate qi in the Dan Tian. It is this qi that will later open the way for you to the real practice of qigong. This type of preparation is called qi si, or qi breathing. At this stage, the qi in the dan tian will be able to move up and down, following the rhythm of your breath. This means that you have reached the goal - you have mastered "real breathing". Finally, you will guide the Postnatal Chi to the Huangting point, where it will merge with the Prenatal Chi, giving rise to the "sacred fetus". Completion of this stage will mean that you have created "Elixir". This stage of mastering the breath is called tai si, which means exactly “embryonic breathing”.
Achieving the ultimate goal of embryonic respiration is extremely difficult. In any case, the transition to this stage actually means the creation of the basis of one's own enlightenment. But to take this step is almost impossible without becoming a hermit. Very few qigong practitioners have actually been able to achieve this. Perhaps it is enough for the average reader, who is striving for good health and long life, to reach the stage of "real breathing".

Meditative breathing.

The first and most important step towards effective meditation is proper breathing. In Chinese meditation, two basic breathing methods are used - Taoist and Buddhist.

Daos, or reverse breathing, serves to prepare qi to circulation, and therefore the correctness of its implementation is of great importance. In Taoist breathing, "reverse" to "normal" is the movement of the lower abdomen. On inhalation, it DOES NOT EXPAND, but RETRACTS, and on exhalation, vice versa, respectively.

Never hold or force your breath! Inhale slowly through the nose, smoothly and easily, drawing in and lifting the lower abdomen. When your lungs are full, start exhaling gently.

Inhale counts yin process, and exhalation - yansky. Inhalation and exhalation should form a semblance of a Yin-Yang symbol, smoothly passing into each other in a fluid cyclical movement. As you exhale, slowly, effortlessly push out Dantian and the entire lower part, the abdomen down and forward ("outside"). Region Dan Tian- the place where it is generated and accumulated qi before the beginning of a small circulation. So the muscles around Dan Tian they need to be trained so that they can adequately provide the respiratory movements of the abdomen. Pushing the lower abdomen out as you exhale may seem difficult at first, but with practice, the muscles will learn to stretch more and more, allowing the entire lower abdomen to be extended from the navel to the pubic bone. Do not force this process, but work persistently and regularly.

Taoist breathing is deep: not in the sense that it is heavy, but in the sense that the lungs are used almost at full capacity during it. Often people, doing heavy physical work, breathe hard, but not deep. Deep breathing causes the internal organs to vibrate in rhythm with the breath, which stimulates their activity and strengthens them. But this does not happen if the breathing is not deep, even with the most intense gymnastic exercises: they strengthen only the muscles, bringing little benefit to the vital organs.

In the Buddhist method, the movements of the lower abdomen are opposite to the Taoist ones, that is, when you inhale, the stomach protrudes, and when you exhale, it retracts. This type of breathing is also called "normal" . So breathe, for example, singers.

Both methods use the same power generation principle qi. The difference between them is only in the coordination of the movements of the abdomen with breathing. Many meditators practice both Taoist and Buddhist methods, easily switching from one to the other.

Meditation and qi circulation.

Having learned to breathe correctly according to the methods described above, you can begin to meditate and master circulation. qi. The first step is to achieve calmness of mind while concentrating on deep breathing. It is required to enter a kind of peaceful state and remain in it until the protrusion and retraction Dantian will not begin to happen without a conscious effort and the attention will not stop wandering.

With the achievement of control over the muscles of the abdomen, breathing becomes like a bellows fanning a fire. qi in the oven Dantian. The whole process of generating and accumulating qi in Danypyane called "low level breathing" , and simple breaths - exhalations in the lungs - "high-level breathing" . The first system aims to accumulate qi as energy and the second - qi is like air. Excess qi in Danypyane causes most people to twitch and feel warm in the abdomen. "bellows" (deep breathing) thus cause fire (accumulation qi) near Dantian. When it happens qi ready to get out of Diantian and go to another cavity. To be sure that the accumulated qi will go into the desired cavity, you must take the correct posture (cross-legged). When qi ready to break out Dantian, you can't let her get away. If the legs are properly crossed, the flow qi partially covered. The thing is, going down qi may get stuck in some cavities. For a novice student, this is dangerous, because he does not yet have experience of controlling qi. This residual qi in the cavities will later affect the circulation in the legs and even, in exceptional cases, may cause paralysis.

When qi enters an unwanted channel and causes some kind of problem, this is called zou ho, or "fire leak". Therefore, mastering the cycle qi, always keep your legs crossed. Legs can only be left uncrossed when the small circulation is already fully mastered and you begin to try the big one.

To properly start a small circulation, qi should go into the cavity weiluy, located in the coccyx.

So, qi comes from Dantian down through the crotch called "Seabed" (Heidi) in the coccyx On the way to weilu qi passes through other cavities, but weiluy shows the greatest resistance: here the flow qi blocked by bone.

During meditation, the mind must consciously lead qi along its circular path. Without conscious guidance, the circulation qi will not be consistent and smooth. Sometimes it happens that qi passes from Dantian in weiluy without conscious effort, but active command from the mind is necessary for further progress. Beginning with Dantian, the mind remains calm and completely focused only on carrying out qi through Weilu. This process can never be "pushed" by force. Just focus on the next cavity and let qi will get there on her own. Relaxation helps only local circulation. For longer cycles, volitional concentration is absolutely necessary.

Entry secret qi in weiluy is that you need to gently squeeze the anus while inhaling. It is called bigan("closing the anus"). On exhalation, the anus relaxes and qi guided by the mind Weilu. This is sungan("relaxation of the anus"). Such coordination is always necessary, even after mastering the small circulation.

From weilu qi goes up along the spine to the next of the main obstacles - Jiaji. It is located on the back, just behind the heart, between the spinous processes of the sixth and seventh thoracic vertebrae. When qi gets here, the heart begins to beat faster, which can interfere with concentration.

The last of the main obstacles on the spine - Yuzhen, or Naohu. This cavity is located at the base of the skull, at the end of the occipital bone. Here the canal is partly blocked by bone. If the energy does not flow smoothly through this point, it may enter other channels on the head or the brain. In this case, headaches or feverish, delusional thoughts are possible.

When qi enters the head, sensation of circulation qi becomes different than in the back. Since the layer of muscles on the head is very thin, there will be no sensation of muscle contraction here. There will be itching, it may be ticklish, as if insects are crawling on the head, and this sensation will pass through the top of the head to the face.

The three main cavities considered in Chinese meditation are called the "Three Gates", or san guan.

After passing the point Yuzhen mind leads qi through the top of the head down, through the midline of the face and chest, back to Dantian, where the cycle starts again. Generally, achieving low circulation requires three meditations a day for a minimum of 90 days. A large circulation sometimes takes years.

So far, we have paid very little attention to breathing in the process of controlled circulation. qi. Now we inform you that the cyclic movement of energy must be precisely coordinated with the process of deep breathing (Fig. 1). This figure shows the basic scheme of Taoist meditation, in which one complete circle of small circulation takes place during two inhalations and exhalations. Table 1 lists the names of the most important points and gives their letter designations used in fig. 1, 2 and 3.

First, during the first breath, creation leads qi from nose to Dantian. Then you exhale and lead qi from Dantian in Weilu. Inhale again and qi goes up to a point at shoulder level called shangbei or Dazhui(see Table 1). Finally you exhale and lead qi through the head to the nose, completing the cycle. Total one cycle qi in two breaths.

When this two-breath cycle is mastered, you can proceed to the “one-breath” cycle. It is basic in martial qigong. The one-breath cycle is shown in fig. 2. qi is conducted to the coccyx on exhalation and then to
nose while inhaling.

Sometimes beginners say they don't feel the flow qi or feel that qi stopped at one point. The answer is the same in both cases: continue the loop. At first the flow qi will be more imaginary than real, but with persistent practice it will become stronger and more tangible. Remember that the flow qi exists always, otherwise you would not live. Insofar as qi follows a thought, a movement of attention will cause a corresponding movement qi through the channels and gradually remove all obstacles.

Experienced students can try draw flow qi in a small circulation, that is, to make the energy go up the chest and down the back. In reverse circulation stages of movement qi are:

Inhale - out Dantian into the nose;

Exhale through the head shangbei;

Inhale - into the coccyx (Weilui);

Exhale - return to Diantian.

The single breath cycle follows the same principle. Reverse circulation helps to cure diseases and clear places that are difficult to pass with normal circulation.

One-breath cycles also include the Buddhist circulation system. qi(Fig. 3). The meditating Buddhist inhales and leads qi from the nose down through the perineum to the coccyx. Then he exhales and leads qi up along the spine, through the head to the nose. Buddhists can also change direction

Dot	Taoist title	Name in acupuncture	Location
	Diantian	Qihai	One and a half inches below the navel
	Heidi	Huiyin	base of the pelvis
	weiluy	Changqiang
		Lingtai	On the spine at the level of the heart
	shangbei	Dazhui	Upper back
	Yuzhen	Naohu	Base of skull
	Tianlingai	Baihui
		sulao
	Duci	Shenque

Table #1

circulation. It should be remembered that in the Buddhist method Dantian expands (i.e., the abdomen protrudes) on inspiration and contracts on exhalation.

There are other methods of meditation in which Dantian not used as a source qi. The role of such can be played by the solar plexus, the center of the forehead and other points; sometimes qi generated without coordination with breathing.

Advice for beginners.

A person who takes meditation seriously should not at first try to circulate. qi. Your initial goal is to train the muscles around Dantian for natural and light Taoist breath. This is achieved by preliminary practice of reverse breathing. When the muscles are adequately trained and the mind is sufficiently calmed, only then can one move on to circulation.