How to Do the Breathing Exercise in Qigong

Correct practice of breathing is critical for the Qi to store, activate, and circulate in the human body. Regulating the breath can help regulate the Qi and blood, as well as the relationships among different systems in the human body.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Natural breathing is the most common method in daily life and is also used in qigong practice. This method is just to breathe naturally without any efforts.

2. Abdominal breathing is the most commonly used method in qigong practice. For abdominal breathing, when inhale, have the diaphragm descending and the abdomen expanding outward. While exhale, have the diaphragm ascending and the abdomen contracting inward.

3. Reverse-abdominal breathing is doing the opposite from the abdominal breathing method. That is, draw in the abdomen and have the diaphragm ascending when inhale. When exhale, have the diaphragm descending with the abdomen expanding outward.

4. Nose-inhaling and mouth-exhaling is to inhale through the nose, and exhale through the mouth. It is often used in active or dynamic qigong.

Tips & Warnings

• There are also other breathing methods that are often used during the different levels of qigong practice, including silent word-reading and genuine breathing.

Resources

• How to Practice Qigong