Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Few questions from a (relatively) new student

Hi everyone,

I've just started my sixth week of Level 1 SFQ and love it! And thank you for making this forum such a valuable source of information ... as well as a friendly place to hang out

Over the last few weeks, I've had a couple of questions pop up about the practice and wanted to ask for your feedback:

1. Breathing: In the Active Exercise, Master Lin teaches us to (gently) draw the stomach in on the inhale and release it on the exhale. I've read a few other sources on qigong (Roger Jahnke, Ken Cohen, several websites) and they all advocate the opposite approach: allowing the belly to expand on the inhale and gently contract on the exhale. This is also how I'm used to breathing in yoga. What is your experience? And do you follow Master Lin's technique for all qigong practice or just the Active Exercise?

2. Level 2: I feel I still have much to gain from my Level 1 practice but am curious about Level 2. For those of you who have "graduated," can you give me your impressions of the practice and/or recommendations for the best time to move up? Also, are there just the two levels in the self-study program?

I'm sure more questions will emerge but that's all I have right now. Thanks in advance for your insights!

Aloha despinamccoy,

1. You can breath in a natural, relaxed, and even way during your active exercises or sitting meditations. The "reverse" breathing is a Taoist technique that Chunyi has found to promote healing faster. You will read all sorts of things on the web and books by various authors regarding the technique.

I suggest choosing a system/teacher and following his or her guidance. Since it seems you've chosen Master Lin and the Spring Forest System, then do the breathing as he suggest. You can slowly work you way into it, but doing the reverse breathing during the three deep breaths at the beginning of your exercise and continue with regular breathing through the rest. After a while you may find yourself reverse breathing automatically during your practice.

2. You can start doing the Level Two healing steps on others right away. The active exercises can be integrated after you have made a shift physically in your system with the Level One active exercises.

His Levels One and Two are available in a home study course format. Levels Three and Four are presented in an in-person classes or retreat setting.

Much Love, Shawn

Thank you for clearning this up, Shawn!