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to do something is not the same as being able to experience it. When we were asked, for example, to do bellows breathing (called bastrika in the various Indian traditions), the result for many people, including myself, was almost comical—frantic, spasmodic movements of various muscles all over the body, movements that seemed more willful than skillful for most of us there. Even many of the more senior students had trouble carrying out the exercise in a harmonious way. As I looked both at myself and those around me, I observed tense faces, necks, shoulders, chests, and arms—psychophysical manifestations of the “upward pull” referred to by Durckheim (see the Introduction)—as many of us tried to do these exercises without the inner relaxation, sensory awareness, and muscle control that are necessary. What was amazing to me was that no one came around to help or correct us. The upward pull became even more evident when the teacher asked us to do bellows breathing, first through one nostril and then through the other. As we continued these pranayama exercises over the course of the retreat, with little visible transformation of these tensions, I began to feel that the teacher had generously overestimated the ability of many of his students to put his teaching into practice. Today, I would simply say that he had not prepared his students properly to be able to carry out such exercises in a beneficial way; he had not taken the time necessary to help them learn natural breathing.

61 Awaken Healing Light, pp. 173-74.

62 He discusses ways to shield the solar plexus on pp. 245-46 of Awaken Healing Light.

PERMISSIONS

The translation from Lao Tsu on page 9 is reprinted from Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu, trans., Feng/English, Copyright © 1972 by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English. Reprinted by permission of Alfred A Knopf Inc.

The translations from Lao Tzu on pages 21 and 113 are reprinted from The Complete Works of Lao Tzu by Ni, Hua Ching. Reprinted by permission of Seven Star Communications, 1996.

The translation from Lao Tzu on page 84 is reprinted from Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, trans., Victor H. Mair. Reprinted by permission of Bantam Books.

The passage by Tzu Kuo Shih on page 85 is reprinted from Qi Gong Therapy: The Chinese Art of Healing with Energy by Tzu Kuo Shih. Reprinted by permission of Station Hill Press.

The translations from Chuang Tzu on pages 99 and 113-14 are reprinted from Basic Writings of Chuang Tzu edited by Burton Watson, copyright 1964 by Columbia University Press. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

INDEX

A

abdomen, energy center in. See also navel

abdominal breathing

normal

reverse (Taoist)

See also natural breathing

abdominal distention

abdominal muscles

abundance

acceptance

acid/alkaline balance

acquired chi

acupuncture

adenoids

adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

adrenal center, of microcosmic orbit

adrenal glands

adrenaline

Advaita Vedanta

aging prematurely

air

components of

movement through respiratory system

quality of

alchemy, inner

alcohol

alkaline/acid balance

alternate nostril breathing

alternate nostril congestion

alveoli

amnesia, somatic and emotional

anatomy of breathing

anger

autonomic nervous system and

health and

organs and

quality of breathing and

self-sensing and

six healing exhalations and

spacious breathing and

survival value of

venting of

anorexia

anxiety

autoimmune diseases and

autonomic nervous system and

hyperventilation and

self-sensing and

six healing exhalations and

spaciousness and

survival value of

aorta

appetite loss

arrogance

arthritis

asthma

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

attachment

attention

awakening

defined

relaxation response and

reverse abdominal breathing and

self-sensing and

shen and

stress and

See also awareness; self sense

attitudes. See also self sense

autoimmune diseases

autonomic nervous system

awareness

attitudes and

clarity and mindfulness and

relaxation and

sensory/organic

awakening

defined

tension and

See also attention; self sense; self- sensing; spiritual growth

B

babies.