Bruce,
Another way to look at is, is that you "are" doing qigong when you do reverse breathing. I often feel a connected sort of awareness, inbetween actual exercise time periods of the day. Like "walking your prayer", in regards to holding a level of spiritual awareness. I often do alot of creative thinking. I might be driving my car, working out images in my minds eye...I come back to driving, thankful that someone/something kept driving(!) while I was off in lala land. I usually am doing reverse breathing too, unconsciously. I think it is possible to practice, or experience qigong (energywork), quite continually. Not all the time...I haven't seen that bumper sticker yet, "Quit reverse breathing and drivE".. I know from a martial arts standpoint, you can be practicing good gung fu / kung fu whether you are doing martial arts or cooking, or mowing your yard. It just means work, and skill at doing the work. As you go about your day you can be constantly connected to that. I experience qigong the same way. Just looking at another person, really looking at them energetically, flips the switch, and you are in the zone.
I think holding up the huiyin is similar. I usually don't do it naturally, I have to focus a bit more on it. Again, it triggers awareness of energy and energywork. I don't save it for formal qigong practice. I know if I hold it up, I am keeping in , or perhaps storing some energy. Again, my breathing will change, and I am briefly in the zone. Simple energy awareness and energy work can be simple and quite often. I can think of alot of bumper stickers now! When I am at work, and doing something requiring real focus and skill, I am sure my breathing changes, and I probably suspend my crown point and align.
Just in regards to this breathing discussion. Taoists practiced longevity. That is what's behind this breathing technique. I was told Taoists believed that one comes into the body at the crown point, and that you essentially move down through the body as your life progresses, eventually leaving the body out the death gate, or huiyin. Reverse breathing and strengthening the huiyin(by holding up the huiyin), goes the opposite direction of that downward movement and exit. It may be true that you should only do reverse breathing when doing qigong, but I don't see a problem practicing qigong as a somewhat continual energy awareness, like spiritually walking your prayer. I think it gets into the way of life idea.
