Bruce Frantzis Taoist Breathing

[surfingbudda]

Hello everyone

I think I have decided to begin BKF's breathing practice. I have his Opening the Energy Gates book which describes his method. I have created this thread for people to discuss this method and help people who are starting out. For people who are already practicing this method, what issues did you encounter when first starting out? What advice or comments would you give to a beginner?

Also does Open the Energy Gates describe the same description for his breathing as his other books? Is there a book of his with the best information specifically for his breathing method? Is it worth buying his CD or DVD for breathing practice?

[Sloppy Zhang]

EXCELLENT breathing method. Ever since I started it, I've only had good experiences with that. On top of that, whenever I study other disciplines (such as singing), you know what method I come across? Full breathing that is almost exactly the same as the taoist breathing that BKF teaches (which I think he has called "longevity breathing").

 

Basically, it is a great way to start learning to breathe in a natural way that also allows you to breathe to your fullest capacity WITHOUT over stressing the system (that's assuming you stick to things like the 70% rule, and pay attention to what your body tells you!)

 

That said, I think that any issues or difficulties you, or anyone else, will come across will be individual in nature, and will only be fixed through consistent practice, as well as consistent awareness of what you are doing, as well as, if you are practicing on your own from a book, consistent re-reading of the material. You pick out different things when you read it. Sometimes you will find yourself focusing on different aspects and ignoring others, only to find that something you glossed over is the key to solving your problem. So I'd say read the material every day for a good two to three days, practice for about a week, then revisit the material for a couple of days, in which you re-read the material, while adjusting your practice.

 

I don't really have any unique stories or tips to give. There's a lot of stuff that came up over the course of practice, but it was resolved by more practice, more awareness, and a deeper study and reflection on the material.

 

As far as other material, I'd stick with "Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body". He describes a breathing method in "Relaxing into Your Being", but it's basically a less detailed version of the longevity breathing as laid out in "Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body". He also mentions some standing alignments, as well as mentions stuff about breathing and alignments in the Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong book, but that too was taken from Energy Gates.

 

If you just stick with the energy gates book, and really make an effort to KNOW the material and truly be able to DO it before moving onto the next step, you WILL make progress. Just make sure you don't fool yourself, keep the integrity of your practice, and try to look critically at what you are doing. You have to be a student AND a teacher, and sometimes that's hard, but it's the only way to succeed if you're practicing on your own.

Edited November 15, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[surfingbudda]

Thank you Sloppy Zhang, I am excited to get started. Do you think BKF's CD provides information the book doesn't or just resays whats in his book? I guess my only concern is if I should be learning this, just because I am about to start Wild Goose Qigong which I have read is a style which emphasizes natural breathing. I guess BKF's is simply how breathing should naturally be and it would be fine to do both together, its not like I am actually doing his qigong, just his breathing practice.

[idquest]

Hello everyone

I think I have decided to begin BKF's breathing practice. I have his Opening the Energy Gates book which describes his method. I have created this thread for people to discuss this method and help people who are starting out. For people who are already practicing this method, what issues did you encounter when first starting out? What advice or comments would you give to a beginner?

Also does Open the Energy Gates describe the same description for his breathing as his other books? Is there a book of his with the best information specifically for his breathing method? Is it worth buying his CD or DVD for breathing practice?

You might want to look at Pietro's Personal Practice section blog here on the Taobums, if you haven't done so yet. There is some good discussion on the BKF's breathing.

[Ramon25]

Hey just to verify guys, With the taoist breathing, do I use my lower back, sides, bell and upperback SIMULTANEOUSLY, pretty much all expanding and contracting at the same time or is there a sequence?

[Pietro]

Hey just to verify guys, With the taoist breathing, do I use my lower back, sides, bell and upperback SIMULTANEOUSLY, pretty much all expanding and contracting at the same time or is there a sequence?

 

You want to end that you are able to breath SIMULTANEOUSLY in all those places (don't forget the shoulders, solar plexus-upper belly, lower belly).

But when you start you need to work one part of the body at a time, and practice adding that before adding the next one. So

 

belly

belly & lower belly

 

belly & lower belly SIMULTANEOUSLY

 

 

 

belly, upper belly & lower belly

 

 

belly, upper belly & lower belly SIMULTANEOUSLY

 

 

 

 

belly, upper belly & lower belly& lower back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

belly, upper belly & lower belly& lower back simultaneously

...

...

belly, upper belly & lower belly& lower back, sides, middle and upper back, shoulders,

belly, upper belly & lower belly& lower back, sides, middle and upper back, shoulders simultaneously.

 

Hope it helps,

Pietro

[Jetsun]

Thank you Sloppy Zhang, I am excited to get started. Do you think BKF's CD provides information the book doesn't or just resays whats in his book? I guess my only concern is if I should be learning this, just because I am about to start Wild Goose Qigong which I have read is a style which emphasizes natural breathing. I guess BKF's is simply how breathing should naturally be and it would be fine to do both together, its not like I am actually doing his qigong, just his breathing practice.

 

The cd set is really good but it's focus is nearly all on sitting inner dissolving. I tried to jump right into that and it didn't help so mastering the breathing and outer dissolving first is definitely recommended.

[Pietro]

The cd set is really good but it's focus is nearly all on sitting inner dissolving. I tried to jump right into that and it didn't help so mastering the breathing and outer dissolving first is definitely recommended.

 

Hi Jetsun, which CD do you refer to? Because there is a CD on inner dissolving, which as you say just concentrate on that, but there is also a CD on breathing which does not touch inner dissolving at all.

 

Agreed that things are better, easier, more securely done when in the correct sequence from the easiest to the hardest. Once the easier are mastered then next ones in lines have by now become easier.

[Jetsun]

Hi Jetsun, which CD do you refer to? Because there is a CD on inner dissolving, which as you say just concentrate on that, but there is also a CD on breathing which does not touch inner dissolving at all.

 

Agreed that things are better, easier, more securely done when in the correct sequence from the easiest to the hardest. Once the easier are mastered then next ones in lines have by now become easier.

 

Ah I didn't know there was a breathing cd, the one I was talking about is called The Tao of Letting Go which is 6cd inner dissolving set. I will have to try to get hold of the other one.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Thank you Sloppy Zhang, I am excited to get started. Do you think BKF's CD provides information the book doesn't or just resays whats in his book? I guess my only concern is if I should be learning this, just because I am about to start Wild Goose Qigong which I have read is a style which emphasizes natural breathing. I guess BKF's is simply how breathing should naturally be and it would be fine to do both together, its not like I am actually doing his qigong, just his breathing practice.

 

I don't have any of his CD's, so I can't comment on them.

[Tsunami_MAPUA]

Just got my copy of Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body. I'm also thinking of getting the breathing CDs. For now, I'll concentrate on the breathing techniques.