Deep breathing - like the waves in the sea

MANY people think the correct way of breathing is by expanding the lungs. That means when they inhale, they pull in their tummy and expand their chest.
That is the wrong way. The correct way is to expand your stomach and let your diapraghm drop. That would give your lungs that extra space to take in more air.
Watch how a baby breathes especially when he is lying on his back. The stomach rises like the crest of the ocean. The way a baby breathes is the natural way, and that's the best way.
In Chinese qigong, breathing is an art. Normal people think it is the easiest thing to do in the world, and for ages they have been doing it the wrong way.
Deep breathing when done right reaps enormous benefits. It helps your body to relax, brings down the blood pressure and steadies the nerves.
The next time when you are anxious or nervous, try this. First, take a deep breath by distending your tummy. The intake of breath must be slow and deep. When you have reached full capacity, hold your breath for two or three seconds and then let it out slowly in a steady stream.
As you exhale, feel as if all the nervousness is leaving your body as well. Be like a balloon as it deflates. Repeat the movements several times. Don't be in a hurry.
The steps are simple: Inhale slowly and deeply. Hold it. Exhale slowly and thoroughly. If you feel the need to do it more than three times, go ahead. This procedure is very good for those who want to fall asleep fast. I have done it many times, in fact, almost every night when my head hits the pillow. Nine out of 10 times, I am out like a light.
A number of qigong schools do not teach this aspect of breathing but if you incorporate it in your exercises, you can build stamina, lower your blood pressure and pump more oxygen into your body and brain.
When you take in air, you inadvertently absorb oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. When you fill your body with oxygen, your blood will, as a matter of course, carry the oxygen to your brain. When the brain receives a large dose of oxygen, it automatically "awakens".
That is why a tired person is always yawning. That is the body's way of taking in oxygen, so that you will stay alert and not fall asleep on the table or chair.
Breath control will hasten recovery process when the body is affected by germs, bacteria or virus. The human body has a built-in capacity for self-healing. When you "pull" the oxygen switch, it triggers a chain of events in the body. One of the processes is to kickstart the body's machinery to recover when it has a "downtime".
Qigong is not all about moving your hands, legs and head. It also involves the flow of air throughout your system. Yes, you do "imagine" the flow of qi along the numerous meridian lines throughout the entire body.
Breathing helps to clean the human system of the "stale air" that keeps circulating in an out-of-shape body. A steady flow of Air in the body is like pouring water through a hose in your porch. It washes away impurities like water flushing away dirt on the floor.
You can develop the art of deep breathing to such an extent where it becomes second nature to you. Deep breathing is associated with the rhythm of life. When you deep breath as a matter of natural course, it will transform your life. Good life will no longer a matter of chance. It becomes part of you.
Qigong is like a balancing act. When you are walking the high-wire of life, the aim is always to achieve perfect balance. Once you are perfectly balanced, your yin and yang will be in harmony. You may at times achieve a fleeting perfect balance.
The idea is to sustain total harmony. Qigong is one of the ways towards that goal. Once you have it, hold on to it and the rest of your life is beautiful sailing on the sea of life.