Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong breathing technique

Ok, Claire, thanks. That does help my understanding. Be so easy to understand in person. Trying to write it out is very difficult.

thanks to all for your input. Much clearer than the book/tape. I've also seen specific reference to this breathing technique (while standing, with lower back flat, & knees slightly bent) for weight loss. (Stephen Crane M.D.) BTW, I concur with not mixing instruction from different 'styles' or instructors.

i did a search online about SFQ and found this informative website
http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/qigong/qigong3.htm

he gives an introduction to SFQ, Posture, Breathing, Preperation and Movements.
I diecided to give it a shot and see how it works.
I followed the steps outlined on this webpage and something very interesting happened when i tried it. While i was taking deep breaths and moving my hands in the circular up and down movements as demonstrated, i noticed myself becoming somewhat light headed.. first i figured that maybe im getting more oxygen in my lungs then i usualy do.. then all of a sudden i began feeling goosebumps on my arms which then moved to my back and down my spine.. if i concentrated on the goosebumps they went away.. so i tried relaxing again and the goosebumps came back.. the tingling senstation in my hands that was described on the webpage was very little.. so far i have only practiced this excercise twice.. the first time the goosebumps were not so apperent but the seccond time they seemd to be stronger in a way.. is this supposed to happen ?

shortly i will be ordering the SFQ course from LS.. i realy want to learn more about this ..

I have also gotten good results with Level I and II active exercises just doing regular lower abdominal breathing. I have thought "contract" means to draw in so I have more recently practiced these exercises drawing in my lower abdomen and letting the upper abdomen expand. It takes more concentration to do this and I don't feel I can do it for really long periods of time. The difficulty I have is concentrating on it when I'm concentrating on other things in Breathing with the Universe or Cloud Hands exercises. In the written material about the Beginning of the Universe Exercise, Chunyi advises to draw in the lower part of the stomach a little bit while inhaling and to let the stomach out when you breathe out. I'm just finding this way of breathing more challenging than the typical way I breathe for relaxation.

I just read all the posts on the breathing technique, I am really confused now! Maybe an expanded explanation "from the horse's mouth" would be in order. I have read the explaination and wathced the video and I really am not sure of the correct way to do it - especially after all the "help" from the posts on this subject. HELP!