My back ground in breathing started in Aikido and my Sensei told me to learn breathing and Ki exercise first. He had done breathing for 40 years, daily at least 1 hour. I started with this and for 5 years only missed 3 days because of sickness. At the end of five years I was suffering back pain because of the way I was breathing-although it was how I was taught.
My Sensei had passed away and needed another teacher to get me through this obstacle. In Spring Forest Qigong, Master Lin gives a really excellent guide to learning Small Universe. In this technic you by-pass all the possible pitfalls of breathing. You open up the channels before you are really generating alot of Chi, which is very safe. This technic cleared up my back pains and allowed me to continue breathing again, which is very pleasureable.
Learning various breathing technics can be a never ending story.
Each has it's own personality. I had learned how to generate and store Ki but not how to circulate it properly which caused me problems later. It also was more of a Martial flavor.
My advise to anyone wanting to follow the breathing trail is to follow traditional methods, such as Small Universe. Breathe softly and fully, equally in the inhale and exhale. Do not force any part of it. You do go through 'growing experiences' as your energy channels fill up, your sensitivity increases as well as your health improves. It probably is the most beneficial exercise you can do for your internal organs.
There are no hard and fast rules you have to do in Qigong. If you have issues with shoulder or holding breathe, you just do what you can without tensing up. In order to get Chi to flow you must stay relaxed. If you need medication then take it and do Qigong. Qigong is very flexible and you adapt it to your life style.
Ten Thousand Hands is a wonderful exercise, I had forgot about the 3 seconds. Just do what you can do without tensing, or what you can do in a relaxed state-that is the most important.
