Breathe: the first of the Seven Foundations
Breath is the gateway to Qi.
That is not a poetic way of saying breathing is nice. It is the operating instruction. In Qigong we use deep, rhythmic, abdominal breathing, and it does two jobs at once: it settles the mind, and it moves energy through the body.
Every movement in every other foundation sits on top of it. Take the breath out and the movements still look the same from across the room, and something has gone out of them. Without breath there is no Qigong, only choreography.
What lives here
Abdominal Breathing. Cleansing Breath. Wave Breath. Two Gate Breathing.
What it is doing
Slow, even breathing signals the vagus nerve to engage the parasympathetic response, and a settled system is the condition every other practice depends on. This is also why Breathe is not confined to the beginning of a class. It appears in the Opening, and again in the Water phase at the end, doing different work each time.
The mistake to avoid
Forcing it. A deep breath you have to strain for is not a deep breath, it is effort wearing a costume. The breath deepens on its own as the body relaxes, which means the instruction is closer to let it than make it.
More on how breathing changes nervous system state is at how Qigong regulates the nervous system. The foundation that pairs most closely with this one is Rest and Meditation, where the breath does its quietest work.
Part of the Seven Foundations of Practice.
If you want the step-by-step version of the breathing itself, belly breath, dantian breath and breathing with movement, that is at Qigong breathing for beginners on LearnQigong.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of breathing is used in Qigong?
Deep, rhythmic, abdominal breathing. Slow and even, with the belly moving rather than the upper chest.
Why is breath called the foundation of Qigong?
Because every other category of practice sits on top of it. Without breath the movements still look the same and something has gone out of them.
Should you force a deep breath?
No. A breath you have to strain for is effort rather than depth. The breath deepens on its own as the body relaxes.
Where to go next
If you have never practiced Qigong. Jump Start Your Energy is a free beginner class. No background needed, nothing to buy, and it is the fastest way to find out whether any of this does anything for you. Most people know within one session.
If you practice and want to go deeper. We teach live classes online every week, and there is a self-paced Introduction to Qigong if you would rather work through it in your own time.
If you want to teach this. Everything in this library is drawn from the Great Energy Qigong Teacher Certification. The frameworks are here in full because they are more useful shared than withheld. The training is where you learn to deliver them.
Keep reading. The rest of the framework library is at the Library, and our longer articles are on the blog.
Great Energy is an independent educational organization founded by Christopher Grant and Daniela Hess.