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Thanks again Astral Monk! This is a good little video--I haven't seen or read much of SFQ, so this seems a great introduction to the style. Is 'breathing of the universe' its common name, or just used in the SFQ system? And yes, right now I think the best way to describe my breathing practice would be a bit of a combination--trying to find what's comfortable. The few times I've tried out reverse breathing it was uncomfortable and rather unnatural feeling. I'm hoping it just takes some time...

Thanks for this. You are right, this is the opposite of astralmonk's advice! It is cool to see varying techniques working for different practitioners. I'm glad this way works for you. Ha, I've probably done both methods in rapid succession simply by fumbling in and out of my rhythm, beginner that I am.

Thanks for the interesting reply. From what I've read (please correct me if I'm mistaken), it's thought that the baduanjin exercises may have indeed been created for soldiers. If so, then you are right that the bow-pulling instructions were a lot more practically grounded for the earliest practitioners. That said, it seems like the gentle, 'modern way' has been practiced for some time (centuries?) for both physical and spiritual health--and some of these methods/technique seem pretty time-tested. I am not a soldier, nor have I ever attempted to pull back a 70 pound bow, so this is an interesting perspective to view it from. Do you have any specific insight/advice regarding these exercises?

This is extremely helpful, and you put it so succinctly. I definitely find myself making this mistake--attempting to fit the breath to the speed of the movements, which is probably a cause of some discomfort and feelings of unnaturalness. As I still need to work on getting my movements more fluid, I continue to follow along with a video. While this is really helpful, and I think pretty crucial this early in the game, it's probably also a hindrance, as I'm trying to match the video's rhythm, rather than experience my own. Thanks again, I really appreciate it. Your advice made something 'click' a bit more, and I look forward to applying this when I practice.

Good day, I'm looking for any advice about breathing rhythm/technique in baduanjin practice. I am a complete novice, so I'm not after anything advanced right now. While I have have natural, diaphragmatic breathing more or less down (not reverse), I find myself getting a bit thrown off when breath is paired with the motions. I understand that it's not great to focus overmuch on the breath, but rather to go about it more simply. That said, I think my practice would benefit from some pointers in this area. From what I've read, it seems like one is to inhale while raising the body into each position, and exhale as the body resumes its resting position. One specific question I have is, if one goes through the motions very slowly, how does the slow speed effect the rhythm of the breath? I don't want to strain myself by holding out breaths beyond what feels natural at my level, nor do I want to fall back into stilted, chaotic breathing. Thank you for any advice

Thanks for this! Yeah, I agree, I think going about it with lightness and tranquility can only be good for the body.

Thanks! Yeah...I suppose this wasn’t the best place for a super specific question. Maybe I’ll repost it in a more appropriate section. Thanks again!

Good day, I'm a complete beginner to qigong, and this is my first post here. So far, I like Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang's output best, and I've been following along with his standing baduanjin video for just a little while, as well as some of his writings. In addition to the baduanjin excercises, I've been working to get the abdominal breathing (not so much the reverse yet, however) down a bit more naturally. So, I'm trying to lay some foundation for neidan practice. I have a lot of questions and I'm undoubtedly making some mistakes, but it seems an OK beginning. I've lurked on this forum some, and just from lurking have been introduced to some really interesting books, concepts, experiences, and stories. So, thank you for all of that. Lastly, I have one question (for now). Reading and practicing qigong, albeit at my elementary level, has got me thinking about my medical history. About four years ago I had surgery to repair an inguinal hernia. My question is, how might lower abdominal surgery effect neidan practice in regards to the lower dan tien, if at all? Thanks for any insight