Chinese people have been practicing meditation and breathing exercises for over 2000 years. These exercises are designed to calm and clear your mind, center your chakras and align your inner spirit. Physical benefits include improved posture, stress reduction, increased flexibility and emotional.
Qigong
Qigong is an ancient Chinese breathing exercise that is designed to expand lung capacity, supply the body with oxygen (life source) and nourish the brain. This exercise is known to improve mental clarity and alertness.
This breathing exercise can be done either sitting or lying down. If you are sitting, make sure that you are in a relaxed position, but do not slouch. Relax your arms and hands. Take a deep and extended breath. Inhale slowly through your nostrils, and imagine your chest and stomach filling up with an ultraviolet light. Your lower abdomen will expand, letting in more air than you would get with a short and shallow breath. Let the air flow in and circulate through your body. Pause for a second before you begin to exhale. Your lungs should not feel strained at all. As you release your breath through your mouth, imagine the air flowing out of your entire body. Pause for a second before you inhale again. Do this exercise for at least five minutes. You can increase the duration once you have mastered the technique properly.
Tai Chi Chuan
Tai Chi Chuan is another form of Chinese meditation. Benefits include body conditioning, longevity and focus of the mind. There are movement exercises that coincide with the breathing exercises of Tai Chi Chuan. Some movements are more advanced than others.
Begin by taking three short breaths in through the nostrils. On the first breath, raise your arms out in front of you at shoulder height. On the second breath, extend your arms out to the side at shoulder height. On the third breath, lift your arms directly above your head. Then, exhale through the mouth and let your arms fall back to the side, and back out in front of you. Repeat the exercise at least 10 times.
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