The Tao of Natural Breathing Part 3

In pondering the implications of the ideas and practices put forward in this chapter, do not worry about remembering the technical terms used here. What is important is to begin to sense that your own harmonious functioning depends on a variety of specific substances (or energies) coming from both inside and outside, as well as on the movement of these substances through your breath to the places in your body where they can be stored and transformed. As you work gently over a period of weeks with the ideas and practices described in this chapter, you will begin to feel a new sense of vitality and openness, especially in your belly, solar plexus, and face. Take note of this sensation. Let it begin to spread throughout your body. Return to it as often as you can.

4.

THE WHOLE-BODY BREATH.

... when we are able to breathe through our whole body, sensing our verticality from head to foot, we are aligning ourselves with the natural flow of energy connecting heaven and earth.

More than 2,000 years ago, the great Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu said that "The True Man breathes with his heels; the ma.s.s of men breathe with their throats."35,36 This ancient observation about breathing, which may be especially relevant today, lies at the heart of the Taoist approach to breath. For the Taoist, breathing, when it is natural, helps open us to the vast scales of heaven and earth-to the cosmic alchemy that takes place when the radiations of the sun interact with the substances of the earth to produce the energies of life. It is our breath, especially our "natural" breath, that enables us to absorb and transform these energies.

What is "natural" breathing? We began to answer this question in the first two chapters, when we reviewed the basic physiology of breathing and explored how to observe our breath in relation to our tissues and organs. We went deeper into the meaning of natural breathing in the third chapter, when we worked with the three primary energy centers of our body, especially the center in the area of the navel. In this chapter, we will expand the work we've begun to include the whole body in our breath. For it is only when our whole body breathes that we can gain the fullest access to our inner healing power-to the organic vitality that is our birthright.

A SIMPLE DEFINITION OF NATURAL BREATHING.

One of the simplest, most practical definitions of natural breathing that I've found comes from the well-known psychiatrist Alexander Lowen, who studied with Wilhelm Reich. "Natural breathing-that is, the way a child or animal breathes-involves the whole body. Not every part is actively engaged, but every part is affected to a greater or lesser degree by respiratory waves that traverse the body. When we breathe in, the wave starts deep in the abdominal cavity and flows up to the head. When we breathe out, the wave moves from head to feet."37 From the point of view of this definition, most of us have little experience of natural breathing. In my healing work using Chi Nei Tsang (internal-organs chi ma.s.sage), for example, many of the people I work on have, at the beginning of my treatments, little awareness of any movement in their abdominal cavity, lower ribs, and lower back. As I observe their breathing, or put my hands into their belly or on their chest, it is clear that the respiratory wave generally begins in the middle of the chest, or even higher, and seems to move only a short distance upward into the shoulders and neck. Some of these people have had abdominal surgery of some kind, and it is clear that even many years later they are still protecting themselves from feeling the pain of the surgery. Others are clearly protecting themselves from feeling painful emotions. Still others feel insecure about their s.e.xuality. But what they all have in common is that they are unconsciously using their breathing to try to cut themselves off from feeling their physical and psychological discomforts and contradictions.

DISTINGUISHING THE OUTER AND INNER MOVEMENTS OF BREATH.

To appreciate the true power of natural breathing, it is necessary to begin to distinguish two aspects of our breathing: the outer breath (the way in which our physiology operates to bring about physical respiration) and the inner breath (the subtle breath that circulates throughout our being). Whether we are working alone or being helped by someone with more experience, the key to natural breathing is through training our inner sensitivity, our inner awareness, to sense the various inner and outer movements of our breath as they take place. It is this sensitivity, and particularly its expansion into the unconscious parts of ourselves, that will enable us eventually to begin to sense the physical and emotional forces acting on our breath. It is only when we can sense these forces as they are-without any judgment or rationalization- that our breath can begin to free itself from its restrictions and engage more of the whole of ourselves.

The Outer Movements of Breath From what we've said so far, it is possible to discern at least two levels of movement in our respiratory apparatus during inhalation and exhalation. During inhalation, as the air travels downward through our nose and trachea, the diaphragm also moves downward to some degree into the abdomen to make room for the lungs to expand, while the belly expands outward to make room for the diaphragm. Thus the first movement that we can sense in natural breathing is the downward movement of the diaphragm and air. As the lungs begin to fill from the bottom, however, there is also a movement of the air upward-the kind of movement that occurs when we fill a gla.s.s or a bottle-which is reinforced by a movement of the chest outward and the sternum upward, creating more room in the middle and upper part of the lungs (Figure 21).

During exhalation, we can sense the air moving upward and out in concert with the diaphragm, which relaxes back into its original dome-like structure pushing upward. Simultaneously, we can sense the movement of the sternum downward and the ribs and belly inward, all of which bring about an overall relaxation of the whole body downward into the earth (Figure 22). Thus, whether we are inhaling or exhaling, we can sense two simultaneous movements going in opposite directions. Indeed, it is through the simultaneous sensing of these opposing movements of air and tissue that we begin to develop the kinesthetic awareness-the inner sensitivity-necessary to relax our tissues and discern the movement of energy in our organism.

The Inner Movements of Breath From the Taoist perspective, the main issue in natural breathing is the movement of the actual "breath energy," the chi, in the organism. The movement of this energy is the result of the polarity between inhalation (yang, active, upward) and exhalation (yin, pa.s.sive, downward), between filling and emptying. The Taoists have observed that as we inhale, the breath energy moves upward to the head, and that as we exhale, the energy moves downward into the whole body. They have also observed that as we inhale, we can also draw the yin energy of the earth, a powerful healing energy, through our feet and upward into our body. As we exhale, we can direct any toxic or stagnant energies downward to our feet and out into the earth. The Taoists also maintain that during inhalation we can draw the yang energy of heaven directly into our body through the crown, the energy center on the very top of our head, and that during exhalation we can distribute this energy downward throughout our body (Figure 23).

Figure 21 Figure 22 THE POLARITY OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Whether or not we believe in the energies of heaven and earth, we know that it is the polarity of positive and negative, of yang and yin, that creates electricity and makes energy move. We also know that there are various electromagnetic fields surrounding the earth, and that these fields are themselves manifestations of this fundamental polarity. An American firm that has produced negative ion generators for the s.p.a.ce program points out, for example, that a natural electric field exists between the earth and the atmosphere, and that this field-which has a strength of several hundred volts per meter in an open s.p.a.ce with unpolluted air-is usually positive in relation to the earth. The company also points out that experiments have shown that this field attracts negative ions from the upper atmosphere and produces an electric current in the body that stimulates living organisms in a beneficial way.38 The Taoists, of course, have spoken for thousands of years about the polarity of yang and yin, of up and down, of heaven and earth. As living organisms, we depend not only on chemical and electrical polarities within our bodies, but also on the electromagnetic polarity of the earth and atmosphere. As conductors within this electromagnetic field, our bodies manifest a potential difference in voltage between head (positive) and feet (negative) that increases in relation to the degree of our verticality. Other important factors include our location, the purity of the air, the climate, and so on. In a closed s.p.a.ce with polluted air, for instance, the potential difference is virtually zero.

Figure 23 It is my belief that when we are able to breathe through our whole body, sensing our verticality from head to foot, we are aligning ourselves with the natural flow of energy connecting heaven and earth. This vertical flow may help to explain the great healing power of both tai chi and chi kung, especially when they are done, as recommended by Taoist masters, in fresh air and open s.p.a.ces.

THE BENEFITS OF WHOLE-BODY BREATHING.

In addition to bringing us into a more harmonious relationship with the energies of heaven and earth, whole-body breathing has a number of benefits at both the physiological and psychological levels. At the physiological level it not only increases our intake of oxygen and helps to promote efficiency in the entire breathing mechanism, but it also helps-through the internal ma.s.sage it provides-to revitalize all the cells, tissues, and organs of the body, and to clear the body of any toxins. At the psychological level, whole-body breathing helps us relax enough to begin to experience ourselves from the inside out, to discover an inner attention that can take in more accurate, complete impressions of the whole of ourselves and our functioning. As this occurs-as our breath expands into hitherto unconscious parts of ourselves-our att.i.tudes and emotions start to change and our self-image begins to release its stranglehold on our lives.

PRACTICE.

Sit down and go through as many of the previous practices as time permits. When you finish these practices, let your awareness embrace the whole of your sensation. You will feel this sensation-including your skin, your tissues, your muscles, tendons, and ligaments, your organs, and your bones-as varying intensities of vibration, some denser, some finer. See how many levels of vibration you can discern.

1 Sensing the outer movements of breath Now, within this field of sensation, begin to follow the movements involved in breathing. As you inhale, see if you can sense the downward movement of the air and your diaphragm. See if your belly expands as you inhale. If not, gently put your palms over your navel, and sense how the warmth from your palms begins to attract your breath and open your belly. As you exhale, see if you can sense the upward movement of the diaphragm and the inward movement of your belly. As you continue following these movements, notice how far they reach in your body. As you inhale, for example, see how far down the movement actually goes. Does the movement reach your pelvic floor? As you exhale, see how far up the movement goes. Does it reach your head? Don't try to "do" anything. Simply watch as your breath begins to take in more of your body. Work in this way for 10 minutes or so.

2 Sensing the inner movements of breath As you continue to sense these upward and downward movements in the tissues of your body, include the movements of your "breath energy." As you inhale, see if you can sense some kind of energy, of vibration, rising upward into your head. As you exhale, see if you can sense this vibration moving downward through your whole body. Give yourself plenty of time. Using our inner attention to follow these movements is not something we are accustomed to doing. The key is to let go of any unnecessary tension and just keep "listening" to your sensation.

3 Making contact with your head and feet Next, sense your feet resting firmly on the floor. Allow them to relax, as though they were spreading out over and even down into the floor. As they relax, you may begin to feel a vibration at the point in your foot called "bubbling springs" (the Kidney 1 acupuncture point at the upper part of the middle of your foot, as shown in Figure 24). Allow that vibration to spread into your whole foot, and even upward into your leg. Then, for a minute or two, ma.s.sage the crown point at the top of your head with your index and middle fingers (Figure 25). Rest and sense the point opening. You may feel this opening as a subtle vibration, a melting, a p.r.i.c.kly sensation, or a kind of numbness. In any event, keep your attention there until you experience a sensation of some kind.

4 Sensing your whole body breathing As you keep your attention on your feet and crown you will begin to sense your whole body involved in breathing. As you inhale, you may feel as though you are drawing the bubbling sensation in your feet all the way up through the tissues and organs of your body to join with the breath energy moving to the top of your head. As you exhale, you may sense the inner energy of your breath spreading downward through your entire body toward your feet. When this happens, just enjoy this sensation of the breath energy moving upward and downward in your body. Observe any areas where your breath does not seem to penetrate or move. Work for at least 10 minutes in this way, simply observing the rising and falling of energy, of sensation, through your body. If you don't feel these movements yet, don't worry. This can take time. Just go on to the next practice.

Figure 24 Figure 25 5 Lengthening your spine Stand again in the basic standing posture, with your knees slightly bent and your feet parallel, about shoulder width apart. Let your shoulders relax and your arms simply hang at your sides. Put your attention on the bubbling springs point on both feet and on the crown point. Feel the vibration in both areas. Allow your inhalation to rise from your feet and go all the way up to and out through the top of your head. As it moves up through the top of your spine and your head you may, especially during your first few breaths, sense your spine being lengthened and your head being pulled upward so that it rests more lightly on your spine. Allow your exhalation to start from the top of your head and go down through your feet into the earth. Be sure to stay in touch with your spine as you exhale; see if you can maintain its length. Feel as though your breath is simultaneously raising you upward and rooting you downward (Figure 26). Don't think about the irrationality of this experience-just let it happen.

Figure 26 6 Connecting heaven and earth Once you've been able to sense these movements, try the following exercise using the same basic standing position. As you inhale, slowly rise up on your toes, and simultaneously raise your arms up in front of you. Your arms should arrive straight over your head (palms facing forward) at the same time that you have reached your full extension (Figure 27). As you exhale, slowly lower your arms and feet until you are in the original standing position. Try this many times. Sense the upward and downward movement of energy. Sense your whole body breathing. Experience how your breath is putting you in touch with your own verticality-connecting heaven and earth both inside and outside your body. Once you've felt this, walk around for a few minutes and see how long you can maintain this sensation.

Figure 27

5.

THE s.p.a.cIOUS BREATH.

... each breath we take is filled

not only with the nutrients and energies

we need for life, but also with the expansive,

open quality of s.p.a.ce. It is this quality

of s.p.a.ciousness, if we allow it to enter us,

that can help us open to deeper levels

of our own being and to our own

inner powers of healing.

Thirty spokes together make a wheel for a cart.

It is the empty s.p.a.ce in the center

of the wheel which enables it to be used.

Mold clay into a vessel;

it is the emptiness within

that creates the usefulness of the vessel.

Cut out doors and windows in a house;

it is the empty s.p.a.ce inside

that creates the usefulness of the house.

Thus, what we have may be something substantial,

But its usefulness lies in the unoccupied, empty s.p.a.ce.

The substance of your body is enlivened

by maintaining the part of you that is unoccupied.39

Lao Tzu To experience the natural healing power of breath is to experience its inherent "s.p.a.ciousness." Our breath can not only move upward and downward to help us experience our own verticality, but it can also move inward and outward to expand and connect our inner s.p.a.ces with the s.p.a.ce of the so-called outer world. In the same way that our experience of external s.p.a.ce allows us to differentiate and relate to each other and the various objects and processes of the outer world, our experience of the internal s.p.a.ces, the "chambers" of our bodies and psyches, allows us to differentiate the various functions and energies of our organism and keep them in dynamic harmony. As Chuang Tzu states: "All things that have consciousness depend upon breath. But if they do not get their fill of breath, it is not the fault of Heaven. Heaven opens up the pa.s.sages and supplies them day and night without stop. But man on the contrary blocks up the holes. The cavity of the body is a many-storied vault; the mind has its heavenly wanderings. But if the chambers are not large and roomy, then the wives and sisters will fall to quarreling. If the mind does not have its heavenly wanderings, then the six apertures of sensation will defeat each other."40 Clearly, for Chuang Tzu and the Taoists, the various chambers or stories of the human organism-especially the abdomen, chest, and head-need to be experienced as "large and roomy" if our various functions and energies are to work in full harmony. Without some sense of s.p.a.ciousness in our organs and tissues, we are unable to feel s.p.a.ce in the other aspects of our lives. It is just this feeling that there is no s.p.a.ce in our lives, that there is no room to expand our experience of ourselves, that lies at the root of much of our stress and dis-ease. It is one of the main reasons we so cherish trips to the countryside or ocean, where we find not only expansive vistas of land and sky, but also profound, inexhaustible silence. Though these s.p.a.cious experiences of our eyes and ears help open up our psychological structure, including our feelings and mind, the sense of s.p.a.ciousness and silence quickly disappears when we return to our ordinary circ.u.mstances.

The Tibetan Buddhists also put great emphasis on the importance of s.p.a.ce to our well-being, making clear that the "feeling of lack of s.p.a.ce, whether on a personal, psychological level or an interpersonal, sociological level, has led to experience of confusion, conflict, imbalance, and general negativity within modern society.... But if we can begin to open our perspective and discover new dimensions of s.p.a.ce within our immediate experiences, the anxiety and frustration which results from our sense of limitation will automatically be lessened; and we can increase our ability to relate sensitively and effectively to ourselves, to others, and to our environment."41 LEVELS OF SENSATION.