Breath of Life: Healing from the Lungs
an advanced form of Sheng Zhen
The quality of the breath reflects the efficiency of the qi as it moves in the human body. When you befriend your breath and are comfortable with it, you befriend the qi.
The lungs are always in a state of exchange — breathing in, breathing out, receiving qi, giving qi.
When the qi in the lungs is in balance, what follows is the harmony of the giving of oneself and the ability to embrace what life has to offer fearlessly.
Breath of Life is an advanced practice that benefits the lungs and, from the lungs, the entire body. More than any other organ in the body, the lungs benefit from the practice of Sheng Zhen (as well as the practice of xiuxing—self inquiry and the action that follows). The lungs are always in a state of exchange—breathing in, breathing out, receiving qi, giving qi. The more one is able to let go and to surrender to the flow, the more efficiently the lungs will work and the more balanced the breath will be.
The ten Breath of Life movements (seven of which are done sitting in a chair and three of which are done standing) facilitate the flow of qi to the lungs and between the lungs and the rest of the body.
Those who want to learn Breath of Life need to do so in a workshop, personally taught by Master Li or Li Jing. First, students should have a strong foundation in the basics of Sheng Zhen and have practiced for 2 or 3 years.
