5 Principles In 3 Postures #9

Discussion - Breathing

Your breathing sets the rhythm of movement in the form. In and out breaths are equal in length. Each one flows into the next. Breathing is relaxed and natural. If your breathing is fast then the form is fast, if your breathing is slow then so is the form. When you practice on your own you find your own rhythm.

If you want to slow your movements then you do this by slowing your breathing.

This reverse abdominal breathing also gently massages your internal organs. I would suggest that along with your posture the movement of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles enables your vagus nerves to function more effectively in turn supporting a calm, healing, intuitive state of being.

The in breath is always part of a contracting yin movement. You feel the contraction first as the tummy muscles as you draw the belly back towards your spine. The contracting continues as you draw the diaphragm up. You then relax that sensation in the diaphragm. Then relax the inward sensation in the tummy. Be aware of letting go of what you have drawn in.

Then at the very end of the out breath apply a little downward pressure on the relaxed abdominal muscles. This must not be forced. It feels like the diaphragm presses gently down. If the abdominal muscles and waist are relaxed then they in turn have a sensation of softly ballooning out. Paul Linden describes this sensation as swallowing a bowling ball that comes to rest in your abdomen. So the yang expanding movement in Tai Chi ends with this ever so slight expanding of the whole abdomen. This is more obvious in the tummy but can also be felt in the back and sides.

Practicing this form of breathing is best done in the static Qigong posture 'standing like a tree'. Then incorporated into the movements of the form.

………..This program of learning explores five key principles of Tai Chi in the sequence of postures 'grasp the sparrows tail', 'throw down' and 'double handed push'.

Copy the sequence of posture and movement using the Tai Chi video or images. Never do anything that is uncomfortable. After uncomfortable comes tension ruining your practice. After tension comes discomfort. After discomfort comes injury.