Breathwork is an integral part to any meditation practice, and qigong is no exception. Across different traditions, different ways of breathing cause different physiological reactions in the body. Any mindful practice, through breathing, has the power to take us from a fight or flight state to a rest and digest state, provide feedback to lower our heart rates, and even change the pH of our blood! Breathing in qigong has the power to bring us into deep calm and relaxation, while helping our Qi to circulate and work its way through blockages. Indeed, without proper breathing techniques, all we’re doing is gentle physical exercise. Sure, that has its benefits, but it falls short of the incredible, life-changing power that can be found with genuine qigong practice. So naturally, I talk about how to breathe in qigong practice on the first day of weekly classes at Shaolin Wahnam Twin Cities.
Actually, there have been thousands of styles of qigong throughout the ages. Some have died out, some have stood the test of time. Each one has their own unique style of breathing. Even within Cosmos Qigong, there are different types of breathing, which students learn as they progress from basic through intermediate to advanced levels of training. These different types of breathing can take a practitioner into deep meditation, indeed into the deepest realms of cosmic expansion. Pretty neat, huh?
One of the things about Cosmos Qigong that continues to impress me is its effectiveness in simplicity, and for fresh beginners learning selections from the 18 Lohan Hands or the 18 Jewels, the breathing is pretty simple, allowing for people to get great benefits in a short period of time. In through the nose, out through the mouth, mouth gently open the whole time and that’s basically it. In this way, it makes it easier for students to avoid the pitfalls of worrying and intellectualizing which can often hold back progress and healing.
Learning to be able to use your breath, even in the simplest of ways, can unlock doors that transform your days from stressful to joyful. Cosmos Qigong confers enormous benefit for a modest 15 minutes of practice a day. If you’d like to know more about how these arts can breathe life into your days, drop us a line to be notified when registration for our next session of classes starts.