Practical & Good Health For Exercising and Staying in Shape

According to the Chinese view, the nutrition provided by air through breathing is even more vital to health and life extension than that provided by food and water8. In Chinese medicine, breathing is regarded as a science, where no specific term even exists in the Western World to denote breath control. Nor do Western physicians understand how atmospheric energy serves as a vital ‘nutrient’ for human health. However, this is changing as Western science uncovers more and more evidence that verifies the Chinese notions about air, breath and energy and their roles in health and longevity.

Chi gung

Chi gung, which means both ‘breathing exercise’ and ‘energy control’, has been a formal branch of Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Like all Chinese heath regimens, breathing is based on the balance of Yin and Yang. Just as correct diet enhances the body’s store of nutritional essence, so correct breathing enhances the body’s supply of vital energy. Since breath and energy form a bridge between body and mind, breathing may be controlled either mentally or physically. It is the only vital function that can, to a certain degree, be voluntarily controlled. When controlled, breathing can be made to regulate all other vital functions, including pulse, blood pressure, digestion, ejaculation, hormone secretion and so on. Because of its pivotal role between body and mind, breathing comprises the most important element in Chinese health and longevity regimens. The act of breathing not only extracts chi from the air, it also drives and distributes chi through the body’s meridians. This prevents the energy stagnation that leads to ill health.

Chi in air – negative ions

The essential element in air that carries the vital charge of chi as we have seen, is not oxygen but the negative ion – a tiny, highly active molecular fragment that carries an electrical charge equivalent to that of 1 electron. Pollutants are borne in the air by large, sluggish ions that carry a positive charge. In polluted air, positive ions slow down trap and neutralize the active negative ions, thereby robbing the air of vitality. Breathing such air is equivalent to eating junk food full of ‘empty calories’.

The vitality of negative ions is also destroyed by air conditioning, central heating and closed spaces. It has long been observed that working all day in air-conditioned or heated offices and factories leaves people totally exhausted, even though they only sit at desks or stand at automated assembly lines, whereas people who spend the same number of hours outdoors doing strenuous physical labor do not suffer this end-of-the-working-day syndrome of complete depletion. This is because it is not the work that exhausts the office worker, but rather the lack of vitality in the air they breathe all day. In Japan, where chi is understood, most big office buildings, factories and hotels are now equipped with negative ion generators to replenish the vital negative ions. Perhaps this is one of the secrets of Japan’s incredibly high productivity.

In nature, air is naturally ionized by the action of short-wave electromagnetic radiation from the sun, which bombards air molecules and imparts vital energy to the fragments. The movement and evaporation of large bodies of water also ionize the air above them. A third method of natural ionization is the unobstructed flow of wind over wide open spaces. The most potent atmospheric chi is thus found at high altitudes, where solar and cosmic radiation are strongest, winds are constant, and water takes the form of rushing streams and open lakes. That is why we feel so refreshed after a day in the mountains, even after a strenuous hike.

It is the polarity of Yin and Yang that makes chi move. In Western science, this polarity is called ‘potential gradient’, i.e. the potential difference in voltage between 2 points. In clean open air, potential gradient rises several hundred volts per meter, but in polluted air and closed spaces it is virtually zero. Potential gradient thus determines the ‘strength’ of an electric field, and the strength of the field determines how active the negative ions are and how strongly they flow. The potential gradient is therefore higher in such places as mountains, beaches and other open spaces, where negative ions flow freely from the positive Yang pole of the atmosphere to the negative Yin pole of the earth. All living organisms in-between serve as conductors for this energy. The electric current caused by the presence of an electric field passes through all the cells, the organs, and the whole of the nervous system, and stimulates the metabolism as well as all other physiological functions of living organisms. If the field is too weak, tiredness and lack of vitality occurs. This is the main cause of exhaustion felt when spending extended time in cars, planes and trains. Negative ion generators are now commercially available for automobiles, and they greatly reduce risk of highway fatigue.

Even if you are exposed to a strong natural electric field, you will not experience the benefits if you wear rubber shoes or synthetic fibers. The best is to walk barefoot, hatless and lightly clothed in cotton across an open field or lawn while the morning dew is still present, breathing deeply and rhythmically as you walk. Since our bodies serve as conductors for the atmospheric chi constantly raining down from above, we must also discharge excess energy through our feet to the earth. Dew-laden grass acts as a powerful magnetic pole when you walk on it barefoot, drawing energy down through the body from the sky. That is why it is best to practice chi-gung outdoors, barefoot and clothed in natural fabrics.

The Art of Breathing

What distinguishes ordinary shallow breathing from deep abdominal breathing is the role played by the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a resilient, flexible membrane that separates the chest from the abdominal cavity. When lungs expand, they push the diaphragm downward; when lungs contract, they pull it up into the chest cavity.

We were designed to breathe primarily with our diaphragm, not our rib-cage. Owning to laziness, ignorance etc., adults these days invariably become shallow chest breathers, rather than the deep abdominal breathers we were meant to be. Chest breathing uses the intercostal muscles between the ribs to forcibly expand the upper rib cage, thereby lowering air pressure in the chest so that air enters by suction. But this leaves the lower lungs, which contain by far the greatest surface area, unused. So we must take about three times as many chest breaths in order to get the same quantity of air into the lungs as one diaphragmatic breath.

A complete, deep, abdominal breath should employ three modes of breathing in a smooth action that begins at the bottom, not the top. You first inhale air slowly into the lower lungs by letting your diaphragm expand and balloon downward into the abdominal cavity. When the diaphragm is fully expanded, the intercostal muscles come into play to open the rib-cage and fill the mid-lungs with air. As the rib-cage reaches full expansion, you make a small final effort to raise your clavicles a bit so that air flows into the narrow upper pockets of the lungs. At this point, the shoulders tend to hunch up and the neck contracts, so when the breath is complete, you should deliberately relax and lower the shoulders and stretch out the neck. Then gently sink the ‘bubble’ of breath in your chest down towards the navel by pushing it down against the diaphragm. Here’s a summary:

Inhale into the lower lungs by pushing out the abdomen (it feels like you are breathing into your stomach).
Then, in one smooth, continual movement, expand the chest, which fills the mid-lungs.
When full, make one small final effort to raise the clavicles by hunching your shoulders slightly.
Gently exhale by sinking the bubble of breath towards the navel.

By cutting down the number of breaths required per minute by more than half, diaphragmatic breathing greatly enhances respiratory efficiency, saves work on the heart and conserves vital energy. The Chinese measure lifespan not by counting birthdays but by counting breaths and heartbeats: every breath and heartbeat saved now prolongs life later. Diaphragmatic breathing gives a powerful propellant boost to blood circulation, sending it coursing strongly throughout the body without causing work for the heart. It greatly enhances lung capacity.

Breathing can be practiced standing in the Horse posture (see above); or sitting either on the floor with the legs half-crossed (the Lotus or half-Lotus position); or during any activity you may undertake – walking, driving or sexual intercourse. The latter activities however require absolute attention to what you are doing, which makes it a sort of ‘moving meditation’. It is an excellent way to cultivate harmony of body, breath and mind.

Basic pointers

Wear loose, natural fabrics, remove belts, jewelry, glasses.
Wherever possible, practice outdoors, preferably barefoot, near vegetation. If inside, practice near a window in a well-ventilated room.
Timing is important. The best hours to practice are between 3:00am and 7:00am when positive Yang energy rises most strongly in the atmosphere; and between 11:00pm and 1:00am when Yin energy switches over to Yang. For best results, practice twice a day: first thing in the morning, before breakfast, and last thing at night, before bed.
Pregnant women and people suffering from any sort of fever or internal bleeding should not practice deep breathing.
Keep the spine erect but not rigid at all times. A cramped spine blocks energy along the spinal channels, preventing free flow of energy from the scrum up to the head. Keep the back of the neck stretched, for this is where energy enters the brain from the lower centers. The proper way to stretch the neck is to draw the chin inwards towards the throat.
Eyes should be unfocused and half-lidded to avoid visual distractions. Focus your attention inwards by mentally visualizing the region of the navel and the organs behind it – or on any area of pain in your body. Imagine fresh, vital oxygen rushing to this area to heal it.
Shoulders tend to hunch during the final stage of inhalation, which tenses the neck and blocks energy to the head. Keep shoulders loose, relaxed and low throughout the session.
Keep lips closed but don’t clench teeth. Keep your tongue firmly pressed against your palate, behind the upper teeth. This stimulates a secretion of saliva from two ducts below the tongue, which contains highly active enzymes of great benefit to the stomach. The tongue against the palate also forms a bridge connecting the 2 channels of the Microcosmic Orbit, which meet at the roof of the mouth. Unless the tongue is firmly pressed against the palate, energy has no means of crossing from palate to throat.
Focus your hearing on the internal sounds of breath and heartbeat, rather than becoming distracted by external sounds. Try to practice in a quiet place, although the natural sounds of the outdoors can help harmonize the spirit.
By applying conscious control over your nose, you can greatly enhance deep breathing. During inhalation, deliberately flare the nostrils wide open. This increases the intake of air and enhances its turbulence within the nasal passages, allowing a greater extraction of chi. This also helps focus mental attention on the breathing process.
The mind lies at the core of the breathing process. The mind is a slippery little devil with a very short attention span and a strong penchant for drifting aimlessly. The Chinese call it a ‘playful monkey’ and the Indian yogis call it a ‘wild horse’. We already know that ‘spirit commands energy’. Therefore, if the mind is ‘absent’ or wandering during breathing exercises, energy has no commander and it strays about aimlessly, scattering and leaking instead of gathering and circulating. Studies have shown that when deep breathing is performed with the mind firmly focused on a particular part of the body, this part registers a strong electric charge and grows warm. This is one of the secrets of using breathing to heal the body – when a certain part of the body is ailing, use the mind to draw energy to the affected area and it will correct the condition.

Do not be discouraged if at first your mind keeps straying. If you apply a balanced blend of discipline and patience, you will learn how to control it.

When you start feeling heat in certain organs or parts of the body and energy tingling through the spinal channels into the brain, you have begun to achieve unity of mind and breath, spirit and energy. Ultimately you will be able to send energy coursing to whichever organ, gland or limb that requires therapy simply by focusing mental attention there as you breathe.

The harmony of mind and breath is the fundamental key to breathing exercise and energy control. Without clarity and presence of mind, breathing is no more than a physical exercise that tones the lungs, massages organs and assists blood circulation. In order to reach the stage of practice in which breathing is used to assimilate, gather and distribute energy throughout the body’s meridians, the mind must be in complete command of body and breath, and you must be in complete command of your mind.

Four-Stage Breath Control

Most Taoist breathing exercises are performed in 4 distinct stages: inhalation, retention, exhalation and pause. It is important to perform each stage correctly and to link them together smoothly.

Inhalation

Empty your lungs completely with a forced exhalation and a strong contraction of the abdominal wall. Then let the abdomen relax again and start a slow inhalation through flared nostrils, drawing air deep down into the bottom of your lungs. When the lower lungs are full, keep inhaling smoothly and let the rib-cage expand to fill the mid-lungs, then inhale a bit more to fill the top. It is not necessary or desirable to fill the lungs completely on each inhalation, and you should never force inhalation beyond comfortable capacity. About two-thirds full is the right measure. The final step in inhalation is to sink the big bubble of breath gently down into the abdominal cavity. This will cause the abdominal wall to balloon out.

Retention

When properly done, each brief retention of breath provides therapeutic benefits to every organ, gland and system in the body. Taoists refer to breath retention as ‘womb breathing’ because the lungs don’t move. Western science calls it ‘cellular respiration’. What occurs inside the body during breath retention is complex, subtle and very important to the effectiveness of breathing exercises. Heartbeat slows by more than half, blood pressure drops, and cellular respiration is automatically triggered. Cells throughout the body start ‘breathing’ by themselves, spontaneously breaking down sugars to release oxygen and automatically excreting cellular wastes into the bloodstream for disposal. The heat and perspiration experienced after 10-15 minutes of deep-breathing exercise is a direct result of enhanced cellular respiration.

Prolonged retention of breath however should not be attempted by anyone without the personal guidance of a teacher and many years of preliminary practice in breath control. 3-10 seconds of retention are adequate and quite safe at the early stage.

Promoting cellular respiration is a primary goal of breath retention, but it also has other purposes. In the lungs, retention enriches the blood with extra oxygen and purges it of extra carbon dioxide by prolonging the time for gas exchange.

Cellular respiration generates body heat. This heat is first felt in the lower abdomen, and then spreads slowly to the extremities, often causing perspiration – even on a cold day. This energy radiates from the ‘cauldron’ of every cell in the body9.

When you retain breath, the carbon dioxide count in the blood rises, which automatically signals the respiratory center in the brain to make the lungs exhale. Exerting voluntary control over breathing overrides this reflex. Then, a spontaneous stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system occurs. The parasympathetic system controls the recuperative functions of the body such as digestion, elimination and metabolism. When this is activated, the active, sympathetic nervous system ‘shuts down’ and the entire body is calmed. Modern urban lifestyles cause excessive stimulation of the sympathetic system, resulting in stress, nervous tension, heart palpitations, constipation etc. Deep breathing re-establishes natural balance between the two systems, much needed with today’s lifestyles. It becomes a highly effective form of preventative therapy against the constant stress, strain and illness experienced by modern city dwellers.

Medical tests in China show that just 15 minutes of deep-breathing exercise cause excretions of the protein-digesting enzyme pepsin, as well as other digestive juices, and greatly enhances peristalsis throughout the digestive tract. This occurs during the retention phase and makes breathing an excellent remedy for indigestion, constipation and other digestive ailments.

However, never force retention beyond your natural capacity. Work with average retentions of 3-5 seconds, and, after several months of regular practice, you may occasionally try a few retentions of 7-10 seconds. Bear in mind it is not the duration or volume of breath retained that provides the therapeutic benefits, but rather the smooth, rhythmic regularity of the entire breathing process, as well as 3 key physical techniques that are applied during the brief retention phase (see below).

Exhalation

Exhalation is even more important than inhalation. Shallow chest breathing leaves a perpetual residue of stale air and toxins deep down inside the lungs, and this must be thoroughly emptied in order to fill the lungs properly with fresh air.

When you feel that it is time to exhale, the first step is to relax the Three Locks (see below). Then slowly, almost imperceptibly, start exhaling gently through the nostrils or mouth, keeping tongue pressed to palate, gradually increasing the force (but not the speed) of the exhalation to produce a strong, steady stream. Empty the lungs in reverse order of inhalation: start at the top and end at the bottom. At the end of exhalation, pull the entire abdominal wall inward in order to push up the diaphragm into the chest to expel the last residues of stale air from the lower lungs. This final contraction of the abdomen also compresses the organs and disgorges them of the extra blood pumped into them during inhalation. Finally, let the abdominal wall relax and the organs fall back into place, without inhaling yet.

If your breath tends to burst out in an explosive gust, it means you’ve retained it too long.

In cold, dry weather, always exhale through the nostrils in order to replenish heat and moisture. In warm, humid climates, exhale through the mouth, which enhances expulsion of toxins and helps dissipate body heat. By keeping your tongue pressed to the palate, outgoing airstreams are modulated to facilitate slow, steady exhalation.

9 Tibetan yogis gather this cellular heat into the Sea of Energy with a highly sophisticated breathing exercise called the ‘Fire in the Belly’. Adepts are tested for success as follows: they sit stark naked in the snow by a frozen lake in mid-winter, while assistants soak sheets in the freezing water through a hole in the ice. The sheets are draped over the adept’s body, and he must thoroughly dry each sheet with heat generated from within. This continues all day long until a specified number of sheets are dry.

Pause

When the lungs are completely empty, block the throat by closing the glottis, so that air does not rush back into the vacuum left by your lungs. Now pause for a few seconds to let the abdominal wall and diaphragm to relax again, then slowly start the next inhalation through the nose. If you have to gasp for the next inhalation, you have paused too long.

The Three Locks

During breath retention, the Three Locks trigger the biochemical and bioelectric reactions that impart therapeutic benefits to the body’s internal organs and meridians and enhance circulation of blood and energy throughout the system. They should be applied towards the end of the inhalation stage, held during retention and released as exhalation commences.

The anal lock

The entire pelvic cavity is strung with a resilient webbing of muscles that in fact forms another diaphragm, called the ‘urogenital diaphragm’. It supports and controls the anus, rectum, perineum and urogenital apparatus. As lungs fill and the diaphragm expands, enhanced pressure in the abdomen pushes down on the soft pelvic floor. Not only does this negate enhanced abdominal pressure, it also stretches and ultimately weakens the muscles and tendons of the urogenital diaphragm. Even worse, it permits the escape of chi through the anus and urogenital passages.

To maintain increased abdominal pressure on the internal organs and glands and prevent the loss of chi through the lower orifices, you must firmly apply the anal lock. The anus is controlled by 2 sphincter rings. The exterior ring seals the external orifice, and the interior ring – located about an inch higher – seals off the main orifice and is directly linked to the urogenital diaphragm. Contraction of the inner ring delivers a powerful stimulation to the sacral nerves and glands and prevents the loss of chi below. It tightens and tones the tissues of the entire diaphragm and prevents its prolapse due to downward pressure from the upper diaphragm and abdominal organs.

Here’s how to apply the anal lock: as inhalation reaches capacity, focus attention on the anus and contract the external sphincter ring. This is easy. Next make a stronger, deeper contraction about an inch above the first. You will immediately feel a powerful contraction throughout the pelvic floor.

By properly applying the anal lock, you deliver profound therapeutic benefits to all vital parts and functions connected with the sacral region, including excretion, prostrate function, menstruation, testicular and ovarian secretions, urination etc. In addition, the anal lock exercises those muscles, tendons and sphincters required for male ejaculation control.

Practicing the anal lock prevents and cures hemorrhoids, which are caused by stagnation of blood in the minute capillaries of the anal sphincters. Every contraction and relaxation of these sphincters flushes out stale and draws in fresh blood. Practice the anal lock a few times at the end of every bowel movement.

The abdominal lock

With the spine forming a rigid wall at the back, the descending diaphragm providing pressure from above and the anal lock keeping pressure in from below, the abdominal lock provides the fourth barrier to loss of abdominal pressure and chi during breath retention.

Beginners to deep breathing tend to keep the abdominal wall completely relaxed through all 4 stages of breath control. This does make it easier to flex the diaphragm downward, but it also causes an abnormal bellowing of the abdominal muscles, which can eventually lead to development of a ‘pot belly’. Distension of the gut during retention also negates the benefits of enhanced abdominal pressure against the organs.

When the lungs are full, the diaphragm stretched and the anal lock applied, deliberately draw the lower portion of the abdominal wall (the part below the navel) inward. This will push the abdominal organs inward and upward against the downward and outward pressure caused by the diaphragm and thereby maintain enhanced pressure within the abdominal cavity. This contraction will cause a slight distension of the upper abdominal wall, just below the sternum.

The neck lock

The third lock is the neck lock. This is the easiest of the locks to apply.

First contract the throat muscles and close the glottis over the bronchial tubes. Then tuck the chin slightly in towards the throat without bending the neck forward. This locks the throat while simultaneously stretching the back of the neck. Be sure to keep shoulders relaxed, otherwise they will hunch up and tense the back of the neck.

The neck lock has several beneficial effects. It partially constricts the arteries in the throat, preventing abdominal pressure from causing an excessive rush of blood to the brain, which could cause dizziness. Closing the throat literally ‘locks’ the breath deep down inside the lungs, making it much easier to control. Practice the neck lock when you do the Plow exercise. The Plow stretches and limbers the entire spinal column from head to coccyx, opening up energy centers and stimulating vital nerves.

Breathing rhythm

Transitions from retention to exhalation and from exhalation to inhalation should always be slow, smooth and deliberate, not sudden, sharp and uncontrolled. The actual duration of each stage is not as important as relative duration and smooth transition. At first, your lungs, diaphragm abdomen and circulatory system will resist the rigors of deep breathing, but with patience and daily practice they will soon adjust and thrive on it. In the beginning, it is most important to focus of rhythmic regularity of all four stages of breath control, rather than prolonging each stage. The mind is naturally attracted to rhythms, and therefore rhythmic breathing greatly enhances the ability of the mind to focus inwardly and become totally absorbed in the breathing process.

Counting your heartbeats is an excellent way to measure the relative durations of each stage, as it requires you to shut off external sensory input and silence the ‘internal dialogue’. One of the best ways to cultivate this inner awareness is to focus attention on the navel and try to visualize the area behind it expanding and contracting with each breath. One Taoist master used to tell his disciples, “Focus attention on the lower abdomen and you will eventually learn everything there is to know about your body”.

As soon as your mind wonders away from breathing, breath immediately loses its rhythm, so try to pay attention to what you are doing when practicing. After long practice, you will become so familiar with the various rhythms that you will be able to judge the durations of each stage without even thinking about it.

There are several basic rhythmic patterns to use in deep breathing. One is to make exhalation about twice as long as inhalation, with a brief retention and a pause between stages. This pattern gives a strong boost to blood energy and circulation, and expels toxins from lungs and bloodstream. Another pattern is to make all four stages equal in duration. This enhances assimilation of chi, regulates heartbeat, lowers blood pressure and enhances gas exchange in the lungs.

You may perspire when breathing deeply, and feel hot flushes in various parts of the body, especially after retention. You might belch or break wind during the first few minutes. These are all signs of correct practice. You may feel ‘goose-bumps’ or currents traveling up your spine or arms and legs, or over the top of the head. This is chi moving through the meridians. You may also feel dizzy, numbness or tingling in the extremities, or muscle tremors, but this is no cause for worry. It is the direct result of opening up long-neglected energy channels and pumping chi through them. As parts of the body chronically deprived of blood and energy are activated, they tend to tingle. With prolonged practice, all your channels will open up and energy will flow smoothly and evenly through your system and all symptoms will disappear.