This Qi Gong breathing technique is a variation on the basic core body breathing form that I posted in my previous article on the Creative Qi Gong blog. The difference with this breathing form is that, rather than taking our body in general as the object we take the cells of our body and cellular structure as the specific object of our focus. This is a breathing form that I have developed myself, but it is very much in line with many of the other Qi Gong breathing techniques that you might be taught in a class or read in a good Qi gong book.
Description:
Either seated or in the Qi Gong standing posture (Wu Qi posture) spend a few moments relaxing your mind and body, breathing naturally. Now tune into the cellular structure of your body, from the crown of your head down to the tips of your toes, try and intuitively see or feel all of the individual cells within your minds eye. Within the center each of each cell there is a tiny point of light and energy, which is the energetic core of the cell. Breathe light and energy in and out of the core of each cell as you breathe in and out.
As with core body breathing, there are two ways of practicing this breathing form, natural and reversed:
Natural
To practice the natural form, as you breathe in imagine light and energy expanding from the core of the cells of your body, lighting up the whole cell like a light bulb. Then, as you breathe in, feel light and energy moving from the edge of the cells back into the core or central point of each cell. Practice for say 2-5 minutes.
Reversed
To practice the reversed form, as you breathe in feel light and energy moving into the core or central point of each of the cells of your body. As you breathe out, feel light and energy expanding from the core of the cells out toward the edges of the cell, lighting each cell up like a light bulb. Practice for 2-5 mins.
I find that some people seem to feel more comfortable practicing the natural form of core body/cellular breathing, whereas others prefer the reversed form. This is more a matter of preference than anything else, but I would recommend that you develop the ability to be comfortable with both as they are complementary to each other, and doing one will enhance the effect of the other and vice versa.
© Toby Ouvry Jan 2010, please do not reproduce without permission.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Core Body Breathing: Natural and Reverse Forms.
This is an update of the original core body breathing article that you can find HERE
Core body breathing is a form of breathing that I find particularly useful when practicing Qi Gong as a method for developing a sense of mind-body synchronization. It is also an excellent way of developing a general awareness of Qi or energy within our body, facilitating the gradual opening and unblocking of our subtle bodies' energy channels and meridians.
It promotes an overall sense of balance and well being within our physical and psychological self. It works very well to dissipate stress and tension that has built up within our mind and body over time.
Like the other forms of Qi Gong breathing, it can be practiced on its own as a meditation form in its own right.
What do we mean by the ‘core’ of the body?
In this context, the ‘core’ of the body means the energetic center-point of any given area of the body.
With regard to the head, neck and torso, you could say that there is a core, a center-line of balance that runs from the crown of our head, down through the center of our brain, neck, chest and abdomen to the perineum (the mid point between the sexual organs and the anus).
With regard to the arms and hands, their core can be visualized and felt as a line of energy that runs down from the shoulders, through the center point of the upper arms, elbow joints and forearms. After passing through the wrists, it then splits into five lines of energy that flow down through the hands into the fingers and thumb.
In a similar way with regard to the legs and feet, their core can be seen and felt as two lines flowing down the center of the legs from the hips, each line splitting into five lines within the feet which pass down though the center point of each of the toes.
Your bodies core can be visualized as a line of light running through out the center of your head, torso and limbs as described above.
Practicing core body breathing
Core body breathing can be practiced in two styles, normal and reverse.
''Normal'' core body breathing.
This exercise can be done seated or by adopting the foundational Qi Gong standing posture. Allow yourself a short while to get comfortable, and then become aware of your body's core as described above. Focus particularly on the core of your body from the sacral area up to the mid-higher chest area. As you breathe in, feel your body's Qi in the form of light and energy expanding outwards from your body's core, moving out to the surface of your body and into your energy field, so that by the time you reach the top of your inhalation you feel as if your body is surrounded by a field of energy and light, forming a sphere or egg shape around the body, and extending perhaps 30cms from the surface of the skin.
As you breathe out, feel the light and energy contracting back towards your core, so that by the time you reach the bottom of your inhalation you feel as if your Qi has become condensed and focused within the ore of your body.
Repeat for 2-5 mins.
''Reverse'' core body breathing.
As you breathe out, feel light and energy moving from the core of your body our toward the surface of your skin, and then beyond it about 30cms so that by the time you finish your exhalation you feel as if your body is surrounded by a sphere or egg of energy and light. As you breathe in, feel that light and energy moving in toward your bodies core, so that by the time you have finished breathing in you feel as if all your Qi has become condensed and focused within the core of your body.
Repeat for 2-5 minutes.
© Toby Ouvry 2010, please do not reproduce without permission.
Core body breathing is a form of breathing that I find particularly useful when practicing Qi Gong as a method for developing a sense of mind-body synchronization. It is also an excellent way of developing a general awareness of Qi or energy within our body, facilitating the gradual opening and unblocking of our subtle bodies' energy channels and meridians.
It promotes an overall sense of balance and well being within our physical and psychological self. It works very well to dissipate stress and tension that has built up within our mind and body over time.
Like the other forms of Qi Gong breathing, it can be practiced on its own as a meditation form in its own right.
What do we mean by the ‘core’ of the body?
In this context, the ‘core’ of the body means the energetic center-point of any given area of the body.
With regard to the head, neck and torso, you could say that there is a core, a center-line of balance that runs from the crown of our head, down through the center of our brain, neck, chest and abdomen to the perineum (the mid point between the sexual organs and the anus).
With regard to the arms and hands, their core can be visualized and felt as a line of energy that runs down from the shoulders, through the center point of the upper arms, elbow joints and forearms. After passing through the wrists, it then splits into five lines of energy that flow down through the hands into the fingers and thumb.
In a similar way with regard to the legs and feet, their core can be seen and felt as two lines flowing down the center of the legs from the hips, each line splitting into five lines within the feet which pass down though the center point of each of the toes.
Your bodies core can be visualized as a line of light running through out the center of your head, torso and limbs as described above.
Practicing core body breathing
Core body breathing can be practiced in two styles, normal and reverse.
''Normal'' core body breathing.
This exercise can be done seated or by adopting the foundational Qi Gong standing posture. Allow yourself a short while to get comfortable, and then become aware of your body's core as described above. Focus particularly on the core of your body from the sacral area up to the mid-higher chest area. As you breathe in, feel your body's Qi in the form of light and energy expanding outwards from your body's core, moving out to the surface of your body and into your energy field, so that by the time you reach the top of your inhalation you feel as if your body is surrounded by a field of energy and light, forming a sphere or egg shape around the body, and extending perhaps 30cms from the surface of the skin.
As you breathe out, feel the light and energy contracting back towards your core, so that by the time you reach the bottom of your inhalation you feel as if your Qi has become condensed and focused within the ore of your body.
Repeat for 2-5 mins.
''Reverse'' core body breathing.
As you breathe out, feel light and energy moving from the core of your body our toward the surface of your skin, and then beyond it about 30cms so that by the time you finish your exhalation you feel as if your body is surrounded by a sphere or egg of energy and light. As you breathe in, feel that light and energy moving in toward your bodies core, so that by the time you have finished breathing in you feel as if all your Qi has become condensed and focused within the core of your body.
Repeat for 2-5 minutes.
© Toby Ouvry 2010, please do not reproduce without permission.
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