In the original 1984 film, the ‘KARATE KID’, starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, we became somewhat familiar with the pop culture catch phrase “Wax on…Wax off!” And in order to do THAT properly, Pat Morita’s character Mr. Miyagi, would firmly speak up to his student, saying, “Concentrate, Danyo-San!” He then would take a few inhalations and exhalations, one final DEEP breath; focus, concentrate, and tense to accomplish his task. How many of us have met with what seemed to be an insurmountable task, or, have had just about enough from people, situations, or circumstances and were told to “step back and take a deep breath”? Is there something to deep breathing, peaceful relaxation, and focus? What is its relationship to harmony, or, is it just something that we’ve learned to equate with conflict resolution? Let’s look at what it is to “breathe correctly”…
First of all, what does it mean to breathe correctly? Well, let’s look at the example of a new born baby, and the environment that it lived in for 9 months inside the womb. It was a purely liquid environment, and it only began to take “normal” breaths as we know them once it became aware and conscious. “Normal” breaths in this case meaning breathing that fills and deflates the lungs through inhalation and exhalation. But take the same baby, and let’s give it a birthing IN water or UNDER water. Place them into the pool at even under a year (with supervision, of course), the results are amazing, because the baby has learned to breath NOT via the lungs, but through the Tantric and Vedic methods of breathing from the abdomen, or the Tian Tien (or Dan Tien as it’s known in China), the area about an inch above your genital, and two inches below your navel. This is where it is said that Creation Energy, or CHI, resides. In this way, they learn to breath NOT via their lungs, but from the Tian Tien. It is from this area that we must learn to breathe from.
From a seated or standing position, clear the mind and begin taking a slow, methodical, purposeful, and intentional inhalation, and each time you do it, be sure to tense your abdominal muscles, even on the EXHALATION. Continue to do this until you’re comfortable with the tightened feeling of your abdominal muscles and can inhale and exhale from your abdominal muscles, WITHOUT your chest rising or falling. This position may be a bit difficult to achieve at first, but in time, it will become easier. In fact, with long term practitioners of Tan Tien Breathing, and Qigong (pronounced CHEE-GUNG) Meditation will tell you that such breathing now has become second nature! Learning to breathe like this in stressful or difficult times will help you along the path to finding…and CREATING…your OWN Harmony, Within.
This is Laoshi E.J. Scott, Grandmaster, and I’ll speak with you next week as we delve into the disciplines of “moving meditation/moving energy” within Taiji Chuan, the “Grand Ultimate Fists”
Until then, may each day be lived in greater harmony the one before…
With Honor, Tolerance, and Respect
Laoshi E.J. Scott, Grandmaster
Team Tiny Tassel
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