Transform Your Mind and Body with Qigong Breathing

Qigong, one of the oldest healing practices from China, remains a significant part of alternative medicine today. As an Indian, it is a matter of pride that Ayurveda, another ancient therapy, has also spread across the world. However, Qigong Breathing exercises is the Secret to  Calm and Focused Energy. One of the best breathing exercises that can bring about a miracle change in stress relief and energy boost.

As  we live in an world where immense work and mental pressure certainly requires some easier way to restore our energy level. As a result, stress relief if essential. The energy boost tonics can increase your adrenaline, but its impact is momentarily.

The first link between the earth and an individual is the breathing. Kenneth Patchen says, “Out of touch with the earth, with never a glance toward the sky”.

Breathing – the connection between body and earth

Breathing is the stimulant of life. When breathing stops, life ends. Yet the same breath gives us strength and inspiration for our everyday activities. Proper breathing reflects health, awareness, and sensitivity in the physical world. And becomes a path of self-transformation and spiritual growth in the inner world. In addition, let us reinstate that there is no intention of preaching about Spiritual Growth. Instead we have tried to focus on how Qigong breathing exercises brings emotional balance and inner peace.

This is essential today as we live in a world where stress, strain and stretch have become the integral components of life.

Breathing seems so simple that we often ignore it. As Mary Oliver wrote in her poem Stars, “What can we do but keep on breathing in and out.” Yet breathing changes the moment we push our bodies. After exercise or a run, it becomes short and rapid, and sometimes we breathe only from the chest.

In contrast, the healthiest breath rises from deep in the abdomen. We all notice that when the mind and body are truly relaxed, our breathing becomes slow, deep, and rhythmic.

The Aim of Qigong Breathing: Reduce Anxiety and Increase Vitality

The purpose of Qigong breathing exercises  is to transform short, restless breathing into deep, calm breathing. Anyone who has observed a street dog panting can easily notice the difference between shallow, rapid breaths and steady, relaxed ones in humans. Because Qigong aims to unite the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of a person, it places breathing at the center of its practice. Breathing can not only work for stress relief, but also it works towards energy boost, essential key for survival in today’s world.

Qigong Breathing Exercises even boosts the lung capacity and mental clarity.

Proper Breathing

Proper breathing not only helps regulate blood pressure but also benefits every part of the body. A calm mind is perhaps the best shield against most illnesses. Even if it cannot eliminate a disease entirely, a cool and composed mind can reduce its negative impact, and proper breathing naturally creates that calmness.

Deep abdominal breathing gives the heart and lungs more space to function efficiently. As lung capacity increases, the body receives more oxygen, and the heart pumps purer blood throughout the system. Digestion also strengthens and becomes more efficient.

If we return to the ancient belief that the lungs transmit energy to the meridians, then it is clear that freer and stronger lungs enhance the flow of energy throughout the entire body.

Resources gifted by the Nature

Qi is the primary life-energy. Qigong breathing exercises help practitioners absorb more of this energy directly from nature, in turn from the atmosphere itself. When a person learns to draw energy directly from the environment, the body’s dependence on food for vitality gradually decreases.

It is highly pertinent today to calm the mind, strengthen the body, and restore inner balance to survive in this rat-race.

If you look at the key infection factors, most of them are carried through food items. But never try to lessen your food quantity all of a sudden! However store fresh energy inside the abdomen and circulating that energy through the lungs gives you a better and fresh feeling, because then fresh energy replenishes one’s previous supply in the body. The Chinese theory of energy cultivation owes a lot to these Qigong breathing exercises.

Qigong Breathing Techniques

In the preparatory stage, begin by relaxing the mind and letting go of tension and emotion. Sit comfortably. Take a deep breath, hold it briefly, and then release it. Gradually increase the duration of the breath-hold over time. However, never make sudden or extreme changes to your breathing pattern, doing so can be harmful. We should not forget that breathing exercises are not to impose obligation, but for stress relief.

• The ideal place for Qigong breathing exercises is a calm and quiet place where one will not be disturbed.
• One may sit or even stand.
• If one sit on a chair ensures that oner back does not come into direct contact of the chair.
• If one stand then ensure one are totally static that means oner body parts and mainly feet are still. One stand in an erect position oner neck and back should be in the same line.
• If one sits, he should try sitting with a straight back with oner palms resting on oner thighs very lightly.
• Whether one is sitting or standing try to keep some space around one.

We encourage everyone to make the mind as calm and relaxed as possible. The easiest way is to forget whatever you were doing a moment ago and imagine yourself in a restful state. The more you practice this, the more quickly you will be able to cool and settle the mind. The energy boost is not possible in a cluttered mind set.

Inhale and Exhale in Qigong Breathing

• Arise Consciousness: Most people are unaware of their breathing because it happens automatically. Here, we encourage you to become conscious of your breath.
• Inhale: Inhale as deeply as you can, but keep the breath slow and gentle. Focus on drawing the air into your abdomen. It may feel difficult at first, but a few sessions of practice will make it easier. As you breathe in, your abdomen will expand — try to allow it to fill as much as possible.
• Hold: Once one feels his abdomen becomes full then hold the breath inside as long as possible.
• Exhale: While exhaling, follow the same pattern, slow and steady. Try to release the breath at the same pace at which one inhaled.

Caution

Remember not to hold your breath for too long, otherwise you will be forced to exhale quickly. Practice at a comfortable pace and never pressure yourself to master the techniques in a single day. Skill develops naturally with steady practice and time.

The entire Qigong breathing exercise depends upon oner level of perfection and mostly it depends upon one’s interest. One should make the priorities clear. The intent is directed to stress relief, thus enabling energy boost.

Third-Eye opener

We have often emphasized that Qigong is closely connected to the spiritual dimension. It is believed to help in opening the third eye, the gateway to deeper spiritual awareness. One needs not believe in spirituality, but Qigong breathing exercises may bring about a phenomenal change in one’s life. Everyone needs stress relief.

As a Swedish proverb wisely states: Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours!

Some Qigong breathing exercises techniques advise inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other. This practice is simple. While inhaling, close one nostril with your thumb; while exhaling, close the opposite nostril. A synchronized inhale and exhale can magically work towards energy boost.

Breathing becomes far more effective when you pay attention to what is happening inside the body. Even if you do not fully understand the internal process, simply imagine that each inhalation brings fresh, positive energy into the body and each exhalation releases stale, negative energy. Thus energy boost and stress relief becomes automatic.

In the beginning, practice for 10–15 minutes and then gradually increase the duration according to your schedule and comfort.

FAQ

Can anybody do Qigong breathing exercises?

Yes, it is everybody’s game. People irrespective of age and gender can do those Qigong Breathing Exercises.

What should be the posture?

One can do exercises either by standing or by sitting on a chair.

When Can one gain the benefit?

Immediate benefits contain calmness and relaxation of mind. The long-term effect includes proper sleep, stress relief, mood enhancement, energy boost and even connection with the Universe.