Normal Abdominal Breathing (Zheng Fu Hu Xi)

Stand with both hands touching the lower dan tian lightly. (The dan tian is ound slightly under
and behind the na!el.) This light touch can hel" you eel the mo!ement o the abdominal muscles
and thus increasing the communication le!el between your mind and the lower dan tian. The ti"
o your tongue should touch the "alate o your month to connect the yin conce"tion and yang
go!erning !essels.
#nhale dee"ly through the nose while gently "ushing your abdominal muscles out and huiyin
down. As you e$hale% draw your abdomen inward and "ull the huiyin ca!ity u"ward gently. (The
huiyin ca!ity is located between the genitals and anus.)
&ou should "ractice this method o breathing until your mind is able to control the abdominal
muscles eecti!ely and eiciently. 'nly then can this area remain rela$ed and allow the (i to
circulate reely. Allow a minimum o si$ months o training this ty"e o breathing to allow the body
to ad)ust to the conditioning* then "roceed on to the ne$t orm o breathing e$ercises.
+e!erse Abdominal Breathing (Fan Fu Hu Xi% Ni Fu Hu Xi)
'nce again% stand with both hands touching the lower dan tian and the tongue touching the
"alate o the mouth. ,hen you inhale% draw in your abdomen and "ull u" your huiyin ca!ity.
,hen you e$hale% "ush the abdomen out and huiyin ca!ity down gently. -racticing re!erse
abdominal breathing may cause some tension in the dan tian. # that ha""ens% sto" using this
method o breathing and return to normal abdominal breathing. &ou may also gently massage the
abdomen to relie!e the tension. As long as abdominal area is rela$ed% you should not ha!e a
"roblem.
,u)i Breathing (,u)i Hu Xi)
This breathing is also called ./mbryonic Breathing0 (Tai Xi). #n this "ractice% you 1ee" your mind
at the center o gra!ity that is also recogni2ed as the real lower dan tian (2hen $ia dan tian).
,hen you "ractice% use re!erse abdominal breathing. The only dierence is when you inhale% you
are also "ulling the muscles on the lower bac1 inward% and when you e$hale% you are "ushing
them out. This will hel" you locate the center o gra!ity. This breathing hel"s you lead the (i to the
real dan tian and store it to a higher le!el. # you wish to 1now more about /mbryonic Breathing%
"lease reer to the boo1 3igong 4editation5/mbryonic Breathing% "ublished by &4AA -ublication
6enter.
&ong(uan Breathing (&ong(uan Hu Xi)
&ong(uan breathing is also called .sole breathing0 (2hong $i). #t was described in the boo1%
Zhuang Zi% around the ourth century b.c. #t is called yong(uan $i (yong(uan breathing) in 7aoist
society.
#n this breathing e$ercise% stand with your legs o"en to about shoulder width a"art. Again% the
hands touch the abdominal area and the tongue touches the "alate o mouth gently. First% inhale
and lead the (i to the real lower dan tian. Ne$t% e$hale% s(uat down slightly and imagine you are
"ushing the eet downward. Through this image o "ushing% you are using your mind to lead the (i
down through the yong(uan ca!ity. ,hen you imagine "ushing the eet downward% your mind
should aim at least si$ inches under the eet so that (i does not get tra""ed. A !ariation o this
e$ercise is to twist your torso to one side as you s(uat and e$hale.
'n the ne$t breath% twist your torso to the o""osite side. This will increase the stretching o the
tendons and ligaments in the an1les% 1nees% and hi"s resulting in a strengthening o the )oints. #
you "ractice this correctly% you may eel the hot or warm eeling caused by (i accumulation at the
bottom o your eet in )ust a ew minutes. To remo!e the (i accumulated% sim"ly raise your heels
and then your toes% alternately% a cou"le times ater you ha!e inished "racticing.
8aogong Breathing (8aogong Hu Xi)
#n laogong breathing% use your mind to lead the (i to the laogong ca!ity located at the center o
your "alms. Again% stand with legs o"ened as wide as your shoulders. The hands touch the
abdominal area and the tongue touches the "alate o mouth gently. 9se /mbryonic Breathing.
First% inhale and lead the (i to the real dan tian. Ne$t% e$hale and imagine you are "ushing your
hands downward without mo!ing your hands. Through this "ushing image% you are using your
mind to lead (i through the laogong ca!ities. ,hen you imagine you are "ushing your hands
downward% your mind should aim at least si$ inches beyond the "alms. # you "ractice correctly% in
)ust a ew minutes you may eel some sensations% a tingling or static eeling at the "alms.
Four :ates Breathing (Si Xin Hu Xi)
This breathing is a combination o yong(uan and laogong breathing. The "osture remains the
same as in the "re!ious two e$ercises. As you inhale% use your mind to lead (i to the real dan
tian. As you e$hale% gently s(uat downward and imagine you are "ushing both your hands and
eet downward.
4artial :rand 6irculation Breathing (,u$ue 7a Zhou Tian Hu Xi)
Tai 6hi ball (igong diagram
#n this breathing techni(ue you are leading the (i into the go!erning !essel through the mingmen
ca!ity (located between the second and third lumbar !ertebrae) in addition to the normal (i
circulation "ath% which "asses rom the real dan tian to the conce"tion !essel through the
abdomen;yin)iao ca!ity (which resides about one and a hal inches below the na!el.) This will
increase the su""ly o (i to the small circulation "ath and enhance the "ower o "hysical
maniestation.
,hen you "ractice% stand with your legs o"ened about a shoulders< width a"art. Allow both arms
to rela$ along the sides o the body. ,hen you inhale% lead the (i rom the real dan tian%
downward through yin)iao% "ass the huiyin% and then lead the (i u"ward. ,hen the (i reaches the
mingmen ca!ity% gently "ush bac1 the lower bac1 to o"en the mingmen ca!ity and lead the (i out
to combine with the (i rom the ront. This (i is then led u"ward to da2hui (located on the "osterior
midline in the de"ression below the s"inous "rocess o the se!enth cer!ical !ertebra.)
,hen you e$hale% lead the (i outward through the arms while also leading it rom the real dan
tian downward to the bottom o your eet. ,hen you ha!e reached a dee"er le!el o tai)i ball
(igong training% use 4artial :rand 6irculation Breathing.
Tai)i Ball Breathing (Tai)i 3iu Hu Xi)
#n this breathing% a""ly the 4artial :rand 6irculation Breathing into the tai)i ball "ractice. #n
addition% hold both o your hands in ront o your lower dan tian with "alms acing each other.
,hen you inhale% draw the abdomen inward% and the huiyin is mo!ing u"ward (i.e.% internal ball is
condensing)% while the "alms s"read a"art (i.e.% e$ternal ball is e$"anding.)
Then e$hale to e$"and the internal ball while "ressing your both "alms toward each other.
Ater you ha!e "racticed or a ew minutes% you may begin to eel an in!isible (i ball orming
between the "alms. The longer you "ractice% the stronger the (i can be elt. This is a basic
oundation o tai)i ball internal gong training. /!entually% you will a""ly this 1ind o breathing
through the entire tai)i ball (igong "ractice.
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