3-STAGE BREATHING

Stage 1 

• As you stand in the Horse Stance posture or sit in a chair, begin to intentionally notice and control your breathing. You can also practice breathing lying down, which makes it easier to feel the expansion of the different parts of the body.
• The first stage is to focus your attention on the abdomen, which is called the Lower Burner or dan tien.  Focus about three inches down from the navel and two or three inches inside.
• Place the hands on the abdomen and inhale. You want to feel the abdomen expand outward so that it is big. Now exhale and feel it relax.
• Again. Inhale and feel it expand. Exhale and feel it relax.  Once more. Inhale, exhale. Repeat several times. Good.

Stage 2

1. Now for the second stage of breathing. Place one hand on each side of the body, just above the waist and inhale, filling the ribcage so it expands outward. Now exhale and feel it relax.
2. Once more. Inhale and feel it expand, exhale and feel it relax.
3. Now begin with the first stage and then proceed to the second stage. Inhale into the abdomen and then into the ribcage on the same inhale. Exhale from the ribcage first and then exhale from the abdomen. Repeat this sequence a few times.

Stage 3

1. Now for the third stage of breathing. Place the hands on the upper chest (Upper Burner) just below the level of the armpits. In this stage, you do not want to draw the shoulders upward or tighten them. Rather, with the shoulders relaxed, gently lift the sternum to make room for the expanding upper lungs.
2. Practice inhaling into the chest and lifting the sternum, then exhaling and relaxing the chest. Do this quietly and calmly a few times.

Full three-stage breathing

1. Now put it all together. Slowly inhale into the abdomen, then the ribcage, then the chest.
2. Then exhale the chest, the ribcage and finally the abdomen.
3. Repeat five times, being sure to expand sequentially upward and then release the breath sequentially from the chest down to the dan tien.

Use this breathing during standing and sitting meditations. As you become more adept, you will use this breathing naturally and easily while doing the New Creation movements.

Now we are ready to apply these basic principles to the movements of New Creation Tai Chi-Qigong. As you develop your regular practice, these basics will become more natural and integrated and will overflow into your daily life, energizing and refreshing you throughout the day.

MICRO-COSMIC ORBIT