Qigong is a self-healing art that combines movement and meditation. Qigong has both moving forms and quiet forms. Lying, sitting or standing.
A regular Qigong practice can prevent and treat illness, reduce stress and establish balance.
Zhang Sanfeng an ancient Daoist priest said “using the natural breathing to find the immortal self….to locate the true divine self through natural breathing.” Sanfeng is the sect I follow in Wudang China.
Embryonic Breathing
Deep long breathing connects the 12 channels in the face through relaxation. Channels are another word for the meridians. The face is connected to the nasal cavity and the brain. The brain is connected to the Governor meridian which is the main channel that moves along the spine and feeds out to all the smaller channels that go through the body. It is also called the Du channel in Chinese. When the face is relaxed, it allows the flow of prenatal breathing which is also called embryonic breathing.
In other words, adjust human breathing to return to the fetus breathing. The fetus “breathes” through the umbilical cord and only begins to breathe through the lungs after birth. The umbilical cord is connected to our belly which is the Dan Tien. Embryonic breathing is to breathe through the belly and not the lungs.
The more you meditate and your system remembers the embryonic breathing the more you learn to draw the life-force energy which is called Chi directly from the universe and not from the lungs. The universe is a sea of energy where the body and mind float during meditation and a natural breath starts to come from the lower abdomen (Dan Tien)
Embryonic breathing is not something we can force it happens through practice when the conditions are right. You discover that your physical breathing has stopped for a period and there is a quiet, subtle transition to Chi breathing in the Dan Tien which is functioning as a Chi lung while connected to the cosmic Chi. This is called inner chi breathing, embryonic breathing.
Integrate mind body spirit and bring peace
References: