Reverse Breathing

[shaq420]

Is reverse breathing helpful for health if I do say 20 minutes a day for once to twice daily frequency for the next 5 years? I wanted to try and do it while just driving my car so I can do something productive or do I need to be meditating(while reverse breathing) to get the benefits?

[Bubbles]

Being mindful to what you are doing and to the surroundings is enough of a healthy practice while driving your car.

I would keep reverse breathing for a time of formal practice. Besides, Reverse breathing is not a stand alone practice, it is part of larger systems and should be considered done accordingly.

[doc benway]

8 hours ago, shaq420 said:

Is reverse breathing helpful for health if I do say 20 minutes a day for once to twice daily frequency for the next 5 years? I wanted to try and do it while just driving my car so I can do something productive or do I need to be meditating(while reverse breathing) to get the benefits?

What benefits are you referring to?

[Rakiel]

Chunyi Lin recommends you breathe like that all the time, and it's part of the Spring Forest Qigong system. So that means I employ reverse breathing for at least 40 minutes per day.

 

I have also done this on the way to work - I try to get at least 10 minutes in every morning. Just be careful because this breathing technique causes a lot of heat.  

[Miffymog]

 

2 hours ago, bubbles said:

Being mindful to what you are doing and to the surroundings is enough of a healthy practice while driving your car.

I would keep reverse breathing for a time of formal practice. Besides, Reverse breathing is not a stand alone practice, it is part of larger systems and should be considered done accordingly.

 

Just to second this!!!

[EmeraldHead]

Concentrating and focusing on the breath while doing something else is a top class samantha practice on it's own: https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/comments/2u7zl7/the_benefits_of_sustained_attention_on_the_breath/

 

 

You can control the breath, thus focus on the breath strongly while ensuring that it is in reverse and done calmly while forcing your attention to expand so as to encompass any other activity you do. 

 

You may want to lower it to just being aware of the breath slightly while driving so you're not disturbed too much - like bubbles suggested.

[thelerner]

How 'intense' is your reverse breath? 

 

I was taught a pretty mild version of it, ie just belly goes in a little bit, buttocks clench slightly.  No straining.   Keep it light.

 

I get the feeling other traditions teach a more vigorous method.