Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Spring Forest Qigong Breathing questions

Hi, I'm starting with some of the active exercises in a sitting posture because of chronic fatigue. But I'm confused about the breathing. In the "Beginning of the Universe" the instruction is to inhale with the belly in, and exhale with the belly out, which I understand as reverse breathing. Is this the way that all the other exercises should be practiced too?

Second: Do you just follow your natural breathing rhythm, or do you deliberately try to regulate it? For example, in the "Breathing of the Universe", my natural breathing rhythm doesn't match the rhythm of the arms. Should I try to elongate my breathing to match the arms, or speed up the arm rhythm to match my breathing?

My breathing is a difficult area for me, not that I have any particular lung problems, but have very shallow breathing related to the fatigue. Any suggestions as to how to work with this would be appreciated.

I also have some questions and I figure this would be a good place to ask them:

1. I know that you can do the exercises standing or sitting. I would like to know if there is any advantage to doing them standing. I find it easier to sit for moving of Yin and Yang and Breathing of the Universe but for no physical reason. I just get bored standing and the time goes faster.

2. Is QiGong good for carpal tunnel syndrome or will that interfer with the moving of Qi?

3. If you are doing the exercises and are interrupted, can you continue where you left off or should you call it a day? I know that you should try to find a time free of any distractions but that is not always so easy.

Also, I'm having some difficulty with the breathing in Small Universe. If I try to regulate my breathing to match the rhythm of the tape, it feels forced and I don't relax like I would if I went with my natural breathing rhythm.

I also seem to need more time to get the visualization of each point on the cycle set in my mind, to really get there. I can't seem to move the energy as fast as the tape goes. Is it okay to not use the tape, and do an extra inhalation and exhalation in between each point to slow it down more?

Claire, I'm obviously not an expert in qigong, but I've had a lot of experience with meditation. And I can tell you that the feeling of boredom is something to just allow. We usually react to boredom by wanting to do something to alleviate it, thinking that it has to be fixed. But a meditation practice or any kind of energy practice lets you just be aware of your mental patterns without having to necessarily change them.

Of course if your mind is telling you the house is on fire, then you'd want to do something about it, but there are so many mental states that we can just observe and let them pass naturally.

Also, boredom comes from not being fully present with the experience. So it doesn't mean you should do something different, but if you can put your attention even more into the present experience, you will find you aren't bored anymore. It takes a lot of practice, and you have to let go of so many expectations about what you think you're supposed to be experiencing. We're in the habit of trying to control everything, and this kind of practice is one place where that mindset doesn't work. I have to remind myself that all the time!

Thanks Karen. I understand what you are saying and know that it is true. The real problem I have is more to do with the time of day. I meditate for one hour every morning using Holosync. I can do it easily frist thing in the morning but during the day I have a problem sitting for an hour for any reason. I usually try to do Qigong at noon and that is really what is causing me to have a hard time focusing for the entire time. If I were to do it first thing in the am it would be ok but then my time with Holosync would suffer. Oh well, guess it will work out in its own way. Thanks again

My experience with meditation in general is that it's always better to just do it however you can, and not strain to do it in a way that's uncomfortable. Creating a comfortable routine for doing it is more important than squeezing it in to a particular time.

Often when I have a question, I ask myself, if I were a master at this, what would I advise someone asking this question? I usually get my answer that way.

I still hope we get our questions answered by someone who is well versed in SFQ

karen

i am not an expert in qi gong but i am a student at an acupuncture school in houston and i have taken our qi gong class

i believe it is better to match your movements with the breathing

to others with q's on the small universe tape breathing: check out the replies to my small universe posting

• Use the Reverse Breathing technique for all exercises of Spring Forest Qigong. Chunyi recommends that you breath like that all of the time.

• It is best to have your breathing match the movements. Try slowing your breathing and/or speed your movements. Once you have memorized the movements from the video, then use the audio tapes. This will allow you to practice at a rate that is best for you. The ultimate goal is to slow your breathing, which will come as you practice.

• The best way to practice is by following Chunyi Lin's suggestions. That said, do the best you can. Any practice is better than no practice.

• I've heard from several people who have seen improvements with carpal tunnel. Chunyi says Qigong is good for all problems of the body.

• After an interuption, feel free to resume your practice. If you cannot focus or calm your mind, however, go on with your day.

• Use the ohmmmmms and mooooos of the Small Universe as a guide. I have never been able to follow it exactly, and I have received tremendous benefit from the meditation.

If I've missed anything, please let me know.

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I'm traveling until May 9, so I probably will not be able to respond again until I return.

Thanks Pete, that helps. The only other question I had was, should you allow the breathing to settle in to what it naturally wants to do. this is the only way I can get to the state of relaxation, it seems. Or should we deliberately guide the breath to be somewhat longer and deeper, pulling it in and pushing it out. Especially in Small Universe, I'm wondering if the visualization should follow the pace of the natural breathing or if you really want to deliberately elongate the breaths.