Just like other gifts from the Mother Nature, breathing is so much part of us that we take it for granted.

We are 'wasting' our breath.

We breathe without thinking, wasting the myriad opportunities that pass under our nostril every day that could otherwise have been exploited to improve the quality of our life.

Although it is obvious, we often overlook the importance of proper breathing.  We forget that when our breathing is natural and deep, we are able to take in more oxygen and release more carbon dioxide with every breath. Since our body is nourished by the air we breathe and the food we eat, improving the function of air flow in our body is essential to improving our health.

Chinese ancient exercise, especially tai chi and qigong, take breathing very seriously.  They bring us back to the way that we breathed when we were in the wombs our mothers, when we were infants, and when we are totally relaxed — in sleep.

Known as natural breathing, the method of breathing makes us inhale the air not to our lungs, but our belly.  You direct the air to your belly when inhaling, and push the air out of your belly when exhaling.  You will see that your belly expands when you inhale, and contracts when you exhale.

If this is not the way that you breathe, try doing it — gently.

Natural breathing is an essential part of the Taoist breathing.  If you’ll like the ancient arts like tai chi and chi kung to help improving your body and mind, proper breathing is among the first skills that you will have to master.

 

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