Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life) Volume 3, Issue No.

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Sinking the qi is a common teim in taiji but many people inu it veiy confusing Sinking the qi simp
ly iefeis to using youi bieath to help ielax anu calm the minu anu bouy A big pait of sinking is uevelop
ing song oi ielax anu loosen anu jing oi mental quietness in youi piactice Following the
piinciple of song means to ielax youi bouy without going limp anu loosening up the muscles tenuons
anu joints Tight muscles anu joints block the low of eneigy }ing means to focus youi minu on youi
foims anu avoiu uistiactions Piopei bieathing helps with both of these piinciples
In this sense of the woiu sink it means to ielax the hips anu waist lowei the pelvis bones anu allow
youi bouy to settle Let youi shoulueis sink away fiom youi neck 0se youi intention to lowei youi el
bows to ielax the shoulueis Avoiu oveiextenuing youi aims Keep them slightly bent anu holu them in
a cuive with youi aimpits slightly open Allow youi skeleton to suppoit youi bouy This allows youi
weight anu eneigy to sink fiom the uppei bouy towaiu the lowei abuomen
Taiji movements geneially alteinate between gatheiing stoiing eneigy anu ueliveiing that eneigy
Eveiy foim in taiji has an associateu inhale anu exhale In geneial inhale uuiing movements that aie up
anu in opening movements anu movements that stoie eneigy Inhale uuiing movements that expanu
youi chest such as with the open hanus movement in Sun style Also inhale uuiing movements that
cieate an insubstantial unweighteu movement such as when uoing a ioll back Inhaling uuiing open
ing stoies the eneigy like uiawing a bow anu biings in the qi
Exhale uuiing movements that aie uown anu out closing move
ments anu movement that uelivei eneigy Exhale uuiing movements
that compiess youi chest such as with the close hanus movement in
Sun style Also exhale uuiing movements that cieate a substantial
weighteu move
ment such as when uoing a push oi piess Exhal
ing uuiing closing ueliveis the eneigy anu senus
the qi
As you exhale allow youi bouy to sink As
you step allow youi weight to settle uown onto
youi substantial leg visualize that youi spine is
stietching anu the qi is lowing thiough youi leg
uown into the eaith This helps impiove youi
balance anu stiengthen youi legs Stiongei mus
cles stiengthen the joints anu tenuons anu im
piove youi joint health
Breathing In Taiji
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Jan-Feb 2013

Yang-Sheng (Nurturing Life)






Abuominal bieathing oi uiaphiagmatic bieath
ing uses youi uiaphiagm to expanu youi lungs Foi
abuominal bieathing take seveial long slow ueep
bieaths Allow youi minu to ielax so you can begin
to focus on youi minu-bouy connection Concentiate
on the abuomen aiea below the uiaphiagm This
technique auus an auuitional focus on youi peiine
um the aiea between youi anus anu youi genitals
Place one hanu on youi uppei abuomen above
youi belly button Place youi othei hanu on youi
lowei abuomen below youi belly button Buiing
both inhales anu exhales tiy to keep youi top hanu
fiom moving When you inhale visualize that the aii
ills youi lungs bypasses youi uppei abuomen anu
ills youi lowei abuomen anu gently expanus it like a
balloon uently ielax the pelvic looi muscles at the
bai hui Cv- point at the centei of the peiineum
Keep youi chest ielatively still
When you exhale gently contiact the pelvic looi muscles at the bai hui point anu in the lowei abuo
men 0se this to contiact youi lowei abuomen as if the aii is leaving the balloon When you inhale ex
panu youi abuomen Again keep youi chest ielatively still In othei woius exhale by contiacting youi
abuomen Inhale by expanuing youi abuomen If you get tiieu just ielax anu go back to bieathing natu
ially
Continue to piactice abuominal bieathing uuiing meuitation oi while piacticing taiji Keep youi at
tention on youi lowei abuomen in the aiea aiounu youi uan tian With enough piactice it will become
natuial anu comfoitable

Eric Borreson a stuuent anu teachei inus teaching taiji
qigong anu meuitation to be a path to a moie meaningful life
Eiic is the founuei anu uiiectoi of Neuitation in Notion special
izing in teaching about living healthiei anu happiei lives Be
teaches taiji qigong anu meuitation at the piestigious Beait
lanu Spa a top uestination spa locateu in uilman IL In auui
tion he teaches taiji Yang Sun-style taiji anu Bi Lams Taiji
foi Aithiitis anu Taiji foi Biabetes at othei venues Be conuucts
woikshops anu teaches piivate lessons on iequest Be wiites a
weekly wellness column at httpeiic-taichiblogspotcom
Photo Credit: gnet.org
Abdominal Breathing