Using breath to move energy

[Aunt Clair]

Thanks guys; Holding the breath is a litle uncomfortable for me too.. I'm going to have to play around with the techniques both ways.. And Aunt Clair: thanks for the link; I've seen your page of links before but had been meaning to follow up on it more.. So far its very helpful.

And just to clarify: you do the maha bandha lock during the out breath right?

No I mean use inhalation to draw in energy and then exhale before you draw in the last deep breath use the maha bandha lock to hold the bolus of energy drawn up . This is ancient . Pull up the pelvic floor, suck in the abdominal wall and push the energy upwards and towards the back of the heart . Passive breath as suggested by some is fine but it will not draw in strong copious amounts of prana as the control of breath will .

[Korpo]

Drawing in the abdomen on the out breath is called "Daoist Breathing" or "Reverse Breathing", too. It is said to energize the body. Holding up the Hui-Yin point (center of pelvic floor) is considered a booster.

I read the recommendation of doing normal abdominal breathing (or "Buddhist Breathing") for six months before switching to reverse breathing. Reverse breathing is employed by martial artists to increase muscle power, as it leads energy outwards into the muscles and tissues and deep inside towards the bone, while "normal" abdominal breathing leads energy inward and towards the organs of the torso. "Buddhist" breathing relaxes, "Daoist" breathing energises.

I thought "holding the breath" meant actually holding it. AFAIK there are Yogic breathing techniques that hold the breath fully, even for extended times. Also energy is coordinated with the breath and confined to certain body parts.

Oliver

[Martin]

Oliver, could you explain those techniques a little more clearly for someone who's biological english is not that great?
Especially since I practice Kung fu every week (and regular martial arts). It does really give me energy.

[Korpo]

"Reverse Abdominal Breathing" or "Daoist Breathing" pushes the "belly" out on exhale, and draws it in on inhale - the reverse of normal abdominal breathing. This strongly energises the muscles. You can observe a similar breathing pattern when trying to push something really heavy - the forceful, tense breath we employ to yield maximum power in pushing has the same characteristics.

IIRC the Daoist Breathing pushes energy from the channels/meridians into all the smaller vessels (Luo), outward toward the skin through the muscles, and inward towards the bone. Normal abdominal breathing draws energies into the torso and its organs and into the channels.

If you want to learn more details about both consult Dr Yang's "Qigong Meditation: Embryonic Breathing" or "Qigong Meditation: Small Circulation". His Qigong books for martial artists may have even more details on this - I cannot say.

Take good care,
Oliver