Kozlov Vladimir “Mastery of breathing with energy” Free Breathing is free because it provides a large selection of techniques, methods, and breathing patterns. To help you better understand this choice, I will introduce you to the breathing techniques, breathing reflection methods offered by Den Brule, director of the Energy Breathing Center from New Bedford, as well as many techniques that I have mastered in various professional trainings. Once the breath becomes conscious and can function freely and fully, it becomes a force and means of healing, regulating and revitalizing all other systems and levels. When breathing is easy and free, when it has strength and flexibility, it can work miracles. Only breathing enhances our ability to experience pleasure, receive love, cope with tension, and achieve good results. Particularly important for your development, for your growth and knowledge, are both the easiest breathing exercises and those that require significant practice (36). Observing the breath This is the first skill on the path to breathing mastery. The key to this skill is awareness. In the transformation formula it is called the “consciousness factor.” To get the most out of any breathing technique, it is necessary to practice meditative mindfulness. In the Buddhist tradition it is known as insight, insight, illumination or "Vippasana". Meditation requires calming the mind and focusing attention on our inner world, its path is contemplation of internal sensations, thoughts and feelings. This is the process of developing a sense of inner peace. Start by tracking your breath. Don't interfere with it. Let it move on its own, you will only be a passive observer. Monitor every breath very carefully, feel every exhalation. Try to perceive the subtle sensations caused by the flow of breath, notice how the air passes at the tips of the nostrils or between the lips. Perceive the sensation of movement in your chest that occurs with each inhalation and exhalation. Track your breathing from the beginning of the inhalation to the end of the exhalation. If your mind wanders, simply focus your attention on the next inhalation or exhalation. Don't stop watching, feeling and listening to your breathing, every inhalation and every exhalation. This is definitely a simple exercise. And perhaps it is the simplicity that makes it so difficult. Regular, daily practice is required. Ten to twenty minutes of practice a day for a month will produce many wonderful effects, and other exercises are also designed around a state of concentration and meditation. Involving exhalation Relaxation is a direct path to perfection. The ability to relax and let go is among the most important. We can all relax to a certain extent. We all have a developed sense of relaxation to a certain extent, and we can all make great progress in this direction. Ask yourself questions: how much can I relax, how quickly can I let go of tension? How deep is my relaxation: under what circumstances and during what situations can I relax and let go. How immersed can I be? Can I relieve tension at will? One of the most powerful effects of work is the release factor. Each exhalation is an opportunity for release and trust, relaxation and release. Begin to develop this ability to breathe, consciously associating it with the release of muscular tension. Learn to sharply release your exhalation, instantly breaking the thread on which the load of your breath was “suspended.” Practice letting go of your exhalation as if you were breathing a sigh of relief. At the same time, however, do not force it: let gravity, the elasticity of your muscles and atmospheric pressure produce it (exhalation) for you. Feel yourself relax and settle. Give the exhalation the form of the sound “a-a-a”, release the exhalation entirely, do not control its course. Release him andlet it come out completely. Practice it as part of a special exercise to relax the entire breathing mechanism, associate the exhalation with individual parts of the body, jaw, throat, shoulders, chest, belly, etc. I am sure, says Den Brule, that liberation from any problem and illness lies in your ability to free yourself. Using the breath to develop this ability is a direct path to liberation. Exhale repeatedly throughout the day. Learn to experience the simple pleasure that comes with a conscious sigh of relief. Energizing the Heart The power of breathing is limitless. The more we are gathered in our hearts, the more strength life will give us. I perceive the heart as the central point of balancing the energy of the activity of the head and abdomen. I also believe that the Spirit of Breath tends to the heart as the point of entry and action in this world. There are two levels of breathing: the first is the level of gas exchange. (oxygen and carbon dioxide), the second is the energy level of the Spirit. This energy is called: in India - Prana, in China - Qi Chi, in Japan - Ki. You can call it Life Force or Life Energy. This is the Spirit of Life. Although muscles can move air, directing it in and out of the body, it is the consciousness, not the muscles, that must move the energy. With attention, awareness, purposefulness, and will, this energy can move and act within us and through us. The proposed exercise requires you to be a participant in life, actively involved in its movement. As you begin this exercise with your thoughts, send your breath to the center of your chest. Feel the expansion up and down, towards your chest and back, towards both sides. Slowly draw in air. Send your breath to the heart area. Open and expand and let the energy flow into you as you wish. Take in this energized breath, consciously filling yourself with the energy of life. Imagine yourself swelling with this vitality. Imagine it in color. Imagine that you are filled with light, love, peace, the most sublime, the purest, etc. Inhaling, inhaling for-, manifest your divine power, make each breath a new step on the path to your source, to your creator, a step inside his. Draw the breath into your heart again and again until you become one with all of Sushim. Fountain Breathing This breathing starts slowly and originates at the bottom. It is silent and barely perceptible. But it grows and gets stronger, and as it grows, it rises higher, becomes stronger, louder and faster. It reaches its maximum at the top of the head and is thrown out, released upward there like a fountain. Its sound is similar to the noise of an airplane or truck passing in the silence of the night. At first it is very weak and comes from afar, but it gets closer and becomes louder, and, turning into a roar, rushes past, and then gradually fades away and disappears. This is one of the exercises that needs to be learned in the presence of a mentor, because it is difficult to master from a book alone. It combines the first three exercises into one powerful technique. With proper practice, this breath alone can change any state, change any mood and influence any situation. Hence the need for its correct and complete development. Sound and breathing We start with “oo-oo-oo” - “a-a-a-a”. When working with breath, there are many ways to shape the flow of breath. Breathwork therapy and mastery techniques use many sounds. This is the first sound I teach everyone. It is associated with fountain breathing. The inhalation is formed and sounds like “oo-oo-uh”, and the exhalation is formed and sounds like “a-a-a-a-ah”. Inhale “oooh”, exhale “ahhhhh”. As you inhale, shape your lips as if sipping through a straw. And when you exhale, your jaw should drop quickly enough, release your breath with a sound of relief: “a-a-a.” Belly Breathing Controlled diaphragmatic breathing is the cornerstone of yoga and is included in the fundamentals of all martial arts. This is a basic skill forsingers, musicians, lecturers, as well as for many other arts that require thoroughness, poise and physical activity. The diaphragm is the largest muscle in the body. It is located on the border of the thoracic and abdominal cavities. This is the leading muscle in normal breathing. It is very important that the diaphragm moves up and down freely. The greater the range of motion, the greater the potential for health and vitality. When you inhale, the diaphragm moves down. When you exhale, the diaphragm moves up. When you inhale and the diaphragm flattens and moves downward, the abdomen swells. As you exhale, the diaphragm returns to its dome-shaped shape and rises upward, and the stomach goes inward. Inhale - diaphragm down - belly out. Exhale - diaphragm up - the stomach seems to retract. This normal pendulum swing of the diaphragm massages the internal organs and energizes the entire system. The exercise is to send the breath into the stomach when inhaling and release it from the stomach when exhaling. Try to keep the diaphragm high under the ribs at the end of the exhalation, and send the diaphragm as low as possible into the stomach and inhale. Play with these abdominal movements until it becomes easy and natural. Leveling the Flow The purpose of this exercise is to develop greater sensitivity to energy and tension. The focus is on the mouth, nose, jaw and throat (larynx). This exercise leads to subtle but powerful self-knowledge and self-management. It is of great importance in mastering the Art of Breathing and Breathing Therapy. Breathe through your nose with your mouth slightly open. Then breathe through your mouth. Practice switching your breathing from mouth to nose several times. Locate the valve - the control point that directs air through each of these holes. Now adjust the position of your teeth, tongue, lips so (and control it so) that you can breathe through your nose and mouth at the same time. Divide the air flow into two equal halves, so that one enters and exits through the nose, and the other through the mouth. Adjust the breathing and openings so that equal flows of breath flow into the nostrils and up into the head, and into the horn and down into the stomach. Practice moving equal volumes of air through your mouth and through your nose. Four-section breathing This exercise is also called the four-corner exercise. The goal is to divide the respiratory cavity into four sections. Each shoulder represents the “top” of the two upper corners. A the area above each hip is the “top” of the lower angles formed by the lower abdomen and back on each side. The main task is to learn to inhale only from one of these angles each time. Start from the left shoulder and focus on this area. if it were a lung, feel how it fills and becomes empty. Switch to the other shoulder and breathe through only it. Do the same with the lower corners, directing your breath to the right thigh. Then change the angles. by practicing the ability to send the breath (energy in these four directions alternately and then in different combinations.) Reversal Breathing This technique, also called paradoxical, can be found in several different schools of breathing. This exercise is found in Indian Yoga, as well as in the Eastern Arts. Remember ex. 6 (belly breathing), which practiced the natural movement of the diaphragm. When breathing with reversion, the diaphragm moves in the opposite, i.e., reverse order. When you inhale, the stomach moves away and pulls up. As you exhale, the diaphragm is pushed down and the stomach protrudes. Inhale - remove the stomach; aperture up. Exhale - belly out, diaphragm down. This is a very useful and very strong exercise for the muscles. It must be taught through initiation, that is, “initiation” under the guidance and participation of an “instructor” and with the laying on of hands at the initial stage to regulate movements. The result is a deep awareness of the merging of the earthlyand heavenly energies. The physical system is energized and all organs, glands, nerves, etc. improve their functioning. Before and after this exercise, relaxation, meditation and natural breathing are mandatory. It is carefully trained through a series of short training sessions. It belongs to the group of non-elementary techniques. Alternate nostril breathing This is a traditional Pranayama exercise. This is a great technique that gives great opportunities. In this exercise, you breathe through each nostril alternately, blocking (pinching with your finger) the other nostril. One important rule is to inhale through the nostril through which you just exhaled. So, start by exhaling through your left nostril, closing your right, then inhale through your left. After inhaling and without exhaling, close the left nostril and exhale through the right, etc. It is important to maintain rhythm, as well as regularity and balance. It is useful to count for rhythmic breathing. It's best to start with long, slow inhalations and exhalations. This exercise often involves holding your breath. You can try a variety of ratios of the length of inhalation, exhalation, and pause. Depending on your level of skill, degree of health and the purpose of your practice, you can use certain options, for example, exhale for a count of 8, hold your breath for a count of 2, inhale for a count of 4. I believe that in the beginning the best option is 7- 1-7-1-7, i.e.: exhale - 7, hold - I, inhale - 7, hold - 1, etc. There are many other points that you need to pay attention to when practicing Pranayama. It is best to assimilate it directly through initiation. Breath holding exercise This is an exercise at an advanced stage of training. Holding your breath is a powerful and complex process. I do not recommend doing it before you have mastered the basic techniques: awareness, relaxation and breath control. The first breath-holding exercise is an exploration of mindfulness. Hold your breath after inhaling and notice the tension. What muscles are involved, where is the point of restraint? Exhale and hold your breath. And again, try to feel which muscles perform the delay, where the point of control or control is located. Biphasic Breathing Biphasic breathing is a technique for creating awareness and controlling the breath. It improves your ability to master all other exercises. It was developed for those who have already mastered the technique of connected breathing to a certain extent. This exercise must be practiced in the presence of someone who has already mastered it. We start by noting the presence of two phases of inhalation and two phases of exhalation. Each of them is released in turn into active and passive phases. If you start with your lungs full of air, the first phase of exhalation is passive. In other words, if you hold a strong inhalation, then all you need to do is relax the muscles, and the exhalation will happen on its own. This is the passive phase - the body exhales for you. If you exhale or force all the air out, squeeze out as much as you can as you exhale, then the inhalation will happen on its own if you relax. This is the passive phase of inhalation; it is the body that inhales for you. The active phase occurs when you yourself inhale or exhale. And this phase begins when the passive phase ends. In other words, by again starting with a full inhalation, you relax and allow the exhalation to occur. At a certain point, the system loses its energy and passive exhalation ends. Then you begin to actively exhale, squeezing out air as an active phase. In this way, the exhalation is deliberately extended beyond the neutral point (it is important to know that this is the point at which in rebirthing practice you would begin the next breath, since in rebirthing there is no active exhalation), while you take action where the body left it , you must maintain the same muscular coordination and muscular quality that the body exhibited during the passive stage. After youhave squeezed out the entire volume of air as much as possible and are now empty, just relax and let the passive phase of inhalation occur. Again, when the body's effort is neutralized and the inhalation stops, you take action and continue it, thereby prolonging the active phase of the inhalation. Observe very carefully how the body carries out the passive inhalation and when you deliberately continue it, you maintain the same quality and muscular coordination that the body had. Breath of chaos The life of a modern person always requires control and structure. It is very important to quickly take a break from the monotony and stress that is caused by mental or other monotonous activities. I came up with this exercise three years ago in Novosibirsk. I always do this exercise when work gets me down. Relax your shoulders, throw your head back and take 20 powerful deep inhalations and exhalations, and make the last 21 exhalations after inhalation forced and sonorous. You are ready to go again. If you want to go through the process using the breath of chaos, then contact a qualified facilitator who has completed one of the professional trainings. This process is powerful and results in intense bodily, energetic and emotional experiences. Nei Dan Breathing The breathing exercise that I want to offer you now belongs to the direction of Taoist practice, which was called “internal alchemy” (Nei Dan). It consisted of “melting the internal pill of immortality” in the human body itself through a system for controlling internal energy flows in the body. Here, the basis was numerous exercises in breathing exercises and meditation, which led to the accumulation and special distribution of vital energy - qi - in the human body. This practice is known exotericly as qigong. The basis of Taoist yoga was breathing exercises. Thus, in a treatise of the 4th century AD. “Bao Pu Tzu” recommends the following exercise: “The beginner inhales through the nose and, holding the air, counts to 120, then exhales through the mouth. Inhalation and exhalation should be made silently. A quill pen should be held near the nostrils, and when the skill reaches that level, -nya, that the pen stops trembling, then the first stage of the art of breathing can be considered completed. At the next stage, the count gradually increases until it reaches a thousand, and the practitioner will notice that he is not aging, but becoming younger...” Breathing exercises were also carried out. a state of complete peace, self-absorption and contemplation. Embryonic respiration Taoists believed that after birth a person should breathe “embryonic respiration” in a vicious circle. By conducting this air through internal obstacles, “outposts” (guan), delivering it to certain places, it was possible to ultimately melt the pills of immortality in the body itself. In case of illness, air was delivered to the diseased organ, which ultimately led to recovery. The student was instructed to collect the “ether of the former sky” (the original subtle substance that existed before the emergence of the Universe) or “primordial air” and concentrate it in himself. This practice is essentially similar to the theory of accumulation of prana by Indian yogis. Continuing the theme of the Chinese art of breathing, I would like to present the basic exercises of the Qigong breathing complex. Breathing in the flow of Qi. Intermediate breathing exercises Lower Starting position - lying, standing, sitting: inhale through the nose, during inhalation the shoulders and chest remain at rest, the stomach protrudes forward, the diaphragm moves down, helping to fill the lower parts of the lungs with air. Exhale through the nose or through an open mouth, freely; during exhalation, the stomach is drawn in. Average Starting position is the same. Inhale through your nose. During inhalation, the stomach and shoulders remain motionless, and the chest expands, the ribs unfold somewhat, the air fills mainly the middle segments of the lungs. Exhale through the nose or open mouth, free - the chest contracts. Upper Starting position - the same. Inhale through the nose, while inhaling the stomach and chestremain motionless, the shoulders rise, the head tilts slightly back, which helps fill the upper parts of the lungs with air. Exhale in the reverse order, head bends forward, shoulders drop. United Starting position - the same. Inhalation through the nose is free, first the stomach protrudes, the diaphragm goes down, then the chest expands, and lastly the shoulders rise and the head tilts slightly back. Exhale through the nose or open mouth in the following order: first, the stomach is drawn in, the diaphragm rises, the chest contracts, the head drops and the shoulders drop. The exercises are presented in order designed for their gradual development. You can start classes with morning and afternoon complexes, doing each exercise 3-4 times, freely, without tension. Once mastered, breathing exercises can be done during breaks in work, before starting and after finishing work.II. Full breathing exercise Starting position - standing or sitting. The inhalation is the same as in the combined breathing exercise. During inhalation, the arms are bent at the elbows and pulled towards the armpits, the hands are clenched into a fist. Exhalation consists of two phases: the first phase of exhalation is exhalation through the nose. The order of exhalation is the same as in the “united breathing” exercise. During this exhalation phase, the arms move forward and down, then up and out, making a full rotation, again connecting at the bottom and pulled up to the axillary areas. Then the second phase of exhalation is performed - exhalation through the mouth, somewhat tense, with increased work of the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall and intercostal muscles. During this exhalation phase, the arms are lowered forward and down with tension. For people suffering from headaches, high blood pressure, dizziness, this exercise must be performed calmly and without tension in the second phase of exhalation.III. Breathing with delay 1) Starting position - sitting, standing, lying down. Inhalation is made through the nose, while the tip of the tongue rises to the palate, followed by a pause (the tongue is pressed to the palate) and exhalation either through the mouth and nose at the same time, or through the nose. At the same time, words are mentally pronounced that make up special phrases, with the first word being pronounced while inhaling, the last one while exhaling, and the rest during a pause. Thus, gradually during the training process the pause lengthens along with the lengthening of the phrase. The number of words gradually increases: 3-5-7-9, which helps to lengthen the pause between inhalation and exhalation. You can come up with phrases yourself or just count slowly, mentally speaking the numbers. The exercise can also be performed during a break between work or after finishing work. 2) This option differs from the first in that the pause is made after exhalation. It is necessary to inhale and exhale, then pause, during which the tongue is pressed to the upper palate and most of the phrase is spoken mentally. IV. Complex breathing exercisesCounter breathing When inhaling, the chest expands, the stomach is drawn in, and when exhaling, on the contrary, the stomach protrudes, the chest contracts. Cleansing breathing Starting position - standing, sitting. Inhale through the nose, while the arms are clenched at the elbows, the hands are pulled up to the armpits, the stomach protrudes, the chest expands. A short pause during which the tongue is pressed to the upper palate. This is followed by exhalation, during which the teeth are tightly clenched; exhalation is done through the mouth due to light contractions of the muscles of the chest and abdomen. A slight whistling sound is heard. During exhalation, the arms move down as the air is released; palms facing the floor. With this exercise, the duration of exhalation exceeds the duration of inhalation by 4-8 times. You should not strain too much, as this can lead to a rise in blood pressure. This exercise is good to use after sitting for a long time in a stationary or uncomfortable position, or after being in a poorly ventilated area. For people suffering from hypertension, this exercise should be slightly modified: when exhaling, the teeth unclench, lipsform a round hole through which exhalation can be done calmly.V. “Imitative breathing system” Exercises in this section of breathing exercises imitate the behavior of animals that sniff, sensing the proximity of a prey or suspecting the approach of a predator. Breathing is performed with different emotional colors: joy, surprise, anger, wariness. Inhalation is always made through the nose, the inhalation is sharp, short, active. Exhalation is passive, without emphasis on it. The breathing rhythm is from 60 to 180 times per minute. During the exercise, 10-12 active breaths are taken with a certain emotional coloring, and then 1-2 full breathing exercises. After which active imitative breathing is performed again and again 1-2 full breathing exercises. Moreover, after a break, a change in the emotional background is possible. Breathing through the chakras Let's continue our journey in the World of Breathing. The next breathing technique is very exotic and is based on the idea that people have energy centers called chakras, and that each of them has its own vibration. Chakra Breathing Meditation can help you understand and experience each of the seven chakras. Using deep, rapid breathing and body movements accompanied by music, meditation activates the chakras, opening them by becoming aware of the centers of energy accumulated during meditation. InstructionsStage 1: Chakra Breathing It is best to do meditation in the early morning or late evening before dinner on an empty stomach. Place your feet shoulder-width (hip-width apart). Close your eyes. Free and relax your body. Now, with your mouth open, take deep and frequent coherent breathing, with equal emphasis on inhalation and exhalation. Get used to it... and let it go, i.e. don't keep your attention on it. To do this, move your attention to the pelvic area, where the first chakra is located. And breathe into the first chakra, that is, inhale and exhale through it. Don't force your breathing. Breathe in a rhythm that allows you to feel stress-free. Breathe as comfortably as possible to allow your consciousness to become aware of the feelings and sensations of the first chakra. Breathe into the first chakra until you hear the command spoken in English, “second chakra.” Each time you hear the command, move this deep, rapid breathing to the next chakra - the second, third, then fourth, fifth, sixth and last, seventh chakra. Each time you move to the next chakra, your breathing should become a little faster and a little shallower, so by the seventh chakra it will be twice as fast. While breathing, allow your body to move: sway, rotate your pelvis, move your arms, etc. not intentionally, but as they themselves move, but remain in place. Allow your legs, knees, hips, all joints to become energetically saturated, like springs, so that your breath and body are in motion, and the movement becomes continuous and spontaneous. Allow your consciousness to remain with the sensations of the chakras, even more than with breathing or body movements. After breathing into the seventh chakra, you will hear the command again. It serves to allow your breath and awareness to flow down, washing each chakra. Allow your breathing to slow down. Descending breathing lasts about two minutes. Don't control... and the breath itself will linger in each chakra as long as it needs. Allow the energy to flow through you, from the seventh chakra, from the crown to the base, smoothly joining the quality of energy of each chakra to the previous one, ending with a feeling of the full spectrum of energy of the chakras and each chakra separately, just as we see the whole rainbow and seven colors at the same time, smoothly flowing one into another. After finishing this sequence of events, stand silently for a while before starting the next one. This ascending and descending breathing sequence will be repeated three times and will take 45 minutes. If you don't feel the position or energy at first.