Beginner Spring Forest Qigong Question

[Kenzen]

I recently started the active exercises and I was wondering about the breathing. In the beginning excercise Master Li says to take a deep breath, while inhaling pull the stomach in a little and while exhaling push the stomach out. Is this kind of breathing done in all of the active exercises? I tried it last night and I found I was focusing on getting the breathing right instead of energy moving. This kind of breathing feels unnatural to me, since I've been taught to do the oppostite while meditating. Also, I practice zazen sitting meditation and occasionly pure land meditation(reciting the buddha's name). Can this type of sitting mediation replace the small universe meditation? If not, is it ok to mix? Excuse my noobness

[voidisyinyang]

I recently started the active exercises and I was wondering about the breathing. In the beginning excercise Master Li says to take a deep breath, while inhaling pull the stomach in a little and while exhaling push the stomach out. Is this kind of breathing done in all of the active exercises? I tried it last night and I found I was focusing on getting the breathing right instead of energy moving. This kind of breathing feels unnatural to me, since I've been taught to do the oppostite while meditating. Also, I practice zazen sitting meditation and occasionly pure land meditation(reciting the buddha's name). Can this type of sitting mediation replace the small universe meditation? If not, is it ok to mix? Excuse my noobness

 

Hey Kenzen -- cool you're practicing SFQ with Chunyi Lin. There's an "official" forum for SFQ with a moderator paid by the company that markets the SFQ learning course so the moderator has close contact with Chunyi Lin. Here's where someone posted a similar question on the breathing at that forum:

 

http://www.learningstrategies.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=9&page=1

 

As you can see the moderator didn't see the need to answer it -- just another SFQ practitioner.

 

O.K. so at the start of the exercises you take a deep breath to clear out your energy -- but then when you're doing the exercises you breath through the nose and the breathing is more mild. Yeah Chunyi Lin teaches to use "reverse breathing" but just in a mild manner -- he isn't strict about it.

 

The sitting meditation C.D. -- Level 1 sitting meditation has one track as the "small universe" for about 1/2 hour and then the other track is the "self-concentration" sitting exercise which is the equivalent of zazen. So you can mix those meditations. The "small universe" is considered the foundation practice or the "most powerful" so it is emphasized as the key practice but Chunyi Lin also has recitation c.d.s using visualization (including the Heart Sutra) and he uses and sells the "Ohm Mani Pamde Hung" chanting from Tibetan meditation.

 

Basically the breathing follows the mind so Chunyi Lin doesn't emphasize any strict breathing technique except to use a mild form of reverse breathing -- but even that term can be considered off-putting to some. The most important key is to use relaxation and visualization. So as the chi energy increases what happens is that the breathing is done through the chi energy itself -- but that's an advanced level of practice called "immortal breathing" or "embryonic breathing." Chunyi Lin does say that even if you just do 15 minutes of slow relaxed breathing a day without practicing qigong then that's great -- breathing about 6 times a minute.

[lydian]

I have the feeling that Drew, will chime in shortly, but let me give you my take on this. Edit: Ok, he beat me to it.

I have practised SFQ for about 2 months now and so am only a little less noob than you

Maybe you find my experience valuable.

 

The reverse abdominal breathing feels a bit strange in the beginning, but if you stick to it, it will eventually work on its own and your attention can be focussed elsewhere. As Dr. Yang Jwing Ming mentions in one of his videos, reverse breathing may feel unnatural, but it is not so. You probably do it in everyday situations like pushing an obstacle.

And it is also used in daoist practises, such as Ironshirt Chi Kung. Just try to do it gently without strain and it will feel more natural over time. I use reverse breathing for all SFQ active exercises.

 

Small universe meditation is a different practise from zazen and I would not replace it, since it is one of the cornerstones of SFQ (and other daoist systems). At the beginning of small universe practice you may not feel much. Just follow the guided meditation and don't expect anything. Eventually, when you have cultivated more qi, you will notice sensations along the two meridians it connects. Just keep you tongue on your palate.

From my limited experience, adding zazen should not do any harm.

Edited August 4, 2010 by lydian

[voidisyinyang]

Yeah a great introduction book on the "small universe" practice is Mantak Chia's "Awaken Healing energy through the Tao" -- freely readable online:

 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2672168/Mantak-Chia-Awaken-Healing-Energy-through-the-Tao

 

This gives report backs from students about what they experience as they're opening up the channels and then the book focuses on why the small universe is so important -- only it's called "microcosmic orbit."

[Kenzen]

Thank you Drew and Lydian! Very quick replies I will not try to force the breathing next time. Hopefully it will become more natural eventually. I will also check out the SFQ discussion board. Thanks for informing me about that Drew. I havent done the small universe meditation yet but I think I will try tonight.

[Guest sykkelpump]

from what I remember chunyi lin says that "go into the emptiness" is the most powerful you can do,that is also my experience from meditation.trying to force open the mco can be very counter productive

[Maddie]

I've noticed several times that after doing reverse breathing while focusing on my dan tien after a while my scrotum tingles, why??? is that some kind of conversion taking place???

[thelerner]

The Wudang Meditation CD's Master Chen has a gentle type of reverse breath. You simply clench your buttocks a little when you breath in, relax them as you breath out. You don't tighten your stomach which is how I've seen it done in some chi gung.

 

It feels like it 'concentrates' the chi inside a bit, and makes for a more expansive breath out.

 

Is the SFQ style of reverse breath similar?

 

 

Thanks

 

Michael