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The breathing method Chunyi Lin explains in the Spring Forest Qigong course seems to go against almost all of the literature I have seen on proper deep breathing. Even LS, in their paraliminals and books(I hope I'm not mistaken) suggest taking deep even breathes, expanding your abdominal with inhaling and pulling the stomach in with exhaling. I have seen this many places, from yoga to acting, but Chunyi Lin is telling me to pull my abominal in with each breathe, and push out with each exhale. Having a bit of acting experience, and curious as to why he was suggesting this method of breathing, I decided to watch and see how he was breathing and speaking on the video. I was not impressed. His shoulders were popping up and down with each breathe, and you could easily hear his effort to inhale. When you breathe with the diaphragm, this does not happen. You can breathe so much deeper, not with your chest, as you do when you pull your stomach in with each inhale, but using your diaphragm to pull air down to the very bottom of your lungs. Also, when breathing in the style of Mr. Lin, you put stress on the vocal cords, and distort your voice. How can he be proposing this form of breathing, when pretty much every other book, tape, and acting teacher, has told me the opposite?
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Joined: Dec 2000
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I just wanted to say that I really like Qigong, it seem to deal with a lot of things that I find very important and interesting, and I look forward to mastering this art. Hopefully it will help me on my path of mastering Photoreading. 
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but Chunyi Lin is telling me to pull my abominal in with each breathe, and push out with each exhale.Distinction: The area below your navel slighlty expands on the inhale. It expands during the exhale. It is a deeep, full breath. The purpose is to bring your breath into the lower torso which balances Yin/Yang energy.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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---Distinction: The area below your navel slighlty expands on the inhale. It expands during the exhale.---
sorry, I still do not understand. What are you saying the distinction is? -slightly and not so slightly?
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One thing I learned from Tai Chi is that when you do something, your whole body should do it, naturally. I haven't seen my Qigong video yet, so I don't know exactly what Master Lin looks like doing his breathing. But he may be breathing with his entire body, with his vocal chords and shoulders complimenting the breath, instead of going against it.
I've seen a Tai Chi master with a booming voice, and an Aikido instructor whose voice would naturally contort while excercising his Chi. It's like my teacher used to tell me, "A dog can bark all day, but he never loses his voice."
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There are many forms of breathing in Chi Gung. The three main styles are natural breathing, Buddhist Breathing, and Taoist Reverse Breathing. "Taoist Reverse Breathing...because this style of breathing uses deliberate muscular contraction of the stomach muscles, it is more powerful than the other two types of breathing...is used primarily for moving chi strongly through the body for healing and energy transference",stated in L.V. Carnie's "Chi Gung" quote:
Originally posted by Tim_with_a_T:
The breathing method Chunyi Lin explains in the Spring Forest Qigong course seems to go against almost all of the literature I have seen on proper deep breathing. Even LS, in their paraliminals and books(I hope I'm not mistaken) suggest taking deep even breathes, expanding your abdominal with inhaling and pulling the stomach in with exhaling. I have seen this many places, from yoga to acting, but Chunyi Lin is telling me to pull my abominal in with each breathe, and push out with each exhale. Having a bit of acting experience, and curious as to why he was suggesting this method of breathing, I decided to watch and see how he was breathing and speaking on the video. I was not impressed. His shoulders were popping up and down with each breathe, and you could easily hear his effort to inhale. When you breathe with the diaphragm, this does not happen. You can breathe so much deeper, not with your chest, as you do when you pull your stomach in with each inhale, but using your diaphragm to pull air down to the very bottom of your lungs. Also, when breathing in the style of Mr. Lin, you put stress on the vocal cords, and distort your voice. How can he be proposing this form of breathing, when pretty much every other book, tape, and acting teacher, has told me the opposite?
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So taoist reverse breathing is only best for moving Chi, or is it best for all things? (e.g., public speaking, deep relaxation, etc.)
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Tim, The other purpose of this breathing is that it is very stimulating to the internal organs and lymphatic system. By drawing your breath in and out in the ways instructed you are both drawing and pushing Chi into the organ systems thereby building their strength. Increasing organ strength is paramount as it will affect our ability to digest, assimilate, build and strengthen. The breathing is counter intuitive if you're used to traditional breathing for singing, speaking etc. That's because it's purpose is different. Hope this helps, Peace, Peter
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Hm, I'm kind of confused by this too. I've always learned that the correct way to breathe is to expand the abdomen as we breathe in and contract the abdomen as we breathe out. I thought it was a mistake or something when I looked at the tape. Interesting, I guess I need to empty my cup so I can learn something new. I found this somewhat decent explanation of reverse breathing if it helps anyone: http://members.tripod.com/internalart/the%20art%20of%20meditation/breathing.htm
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Are we to practise the reverse breathing so that it becomes natural, ie, we'd breath this way most of the time? Or are we to breath this way just during the qigong exercises? What about during small universe and self concentration?
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