1. Natural breath: How we breathe all the time without thinking.
2. Cleansing Breath: Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
3. Tonic breath: Inhaling through the mouth and exhaling through the nose.
4. Alternate breath: Inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other.
5. Natural deep breath: When we stretch our arms wide open and take a deep breath.
6. Long breath or abdominal post birth breath OR One Breath OR Buddha Breath: is a form of abdominal breathing. When inhaling the lower abdomen expands because of the air coming in, during exhalation the lower abdomen contracts.
7. Pre-Birth OR prenatal breath OR Taoist breath OR Reverse Breathing: Contraction of abdomen upon inhalation and the expansion of it during expiration.
8. TORTOISE BREATH: “Even the pre-birth breathing alone will not enable you to reach the ultimate breathing stage. Forgetting the pre-birth mehod after its mastery over many years leads you to the tortoise breath.”

According to Daoist theory, pre-birth breathing imitates the general breathing pattern of the fetus in its mother’s womb. Through the umbilical cord the fetus receives oxygen and food, and eliminates carbon dioxide and other waste products. When the umbilical cord is cut, pre-birth breathing ceases and post-birth breathing from the mouth and nose begins. Pre-birth breathing is most commonly understood as the contraction of the abdomen upon inhalation and the expansion of it during expiration. Hence, this breathing patter is somethings called “reverse breathing”

From “The Dao of Taijiquan – way to rejuvenation” by Master Jou – Buy it on Amazon

Disease is disturbance or in ease due to us going against the natural flow or being aware of one law.
What is going with the natural flow?
What is One law?

When we live, work and act in this competitive society, the interactions in daily life with others caus stress. What we have to remind ourselves is on how we can avoid stress and what we can do daily to get rid of it. I dont think the ideas to avoid stress but how to manage stress.

Most of have jumping pulse that are signs of nervousness, anxiety, fear about future, depression. We have never learned how to breath properly. We mostly breath only to our lungs. If you bring notice to your breath and pulse when you are tense you will see that your breathing and pulse is rapid. Similar is true of the breathing of before you start yoga or meditation and the difference when you are done.

Some helpful tips: to balance life that will reduce stress

1. Phyiscal activity & exercise: Important to dedicated a part of your day to do some kind of physical exercise.
2. Relaxation and rest: proper rest/sleep with some form of yoga or meditation
3. Proper nutrition / eating habits
4. Contentment and be happy: are we happy with what hwe have in present.

1. Physical Activity: Its a struggle, but I make an effort to take few minutes a day in the morning to do few yoga postures or five elements of mao shan tai chi. Even just a little or 1 exercise can get me ready for the day.

2. Relaxation:

Yoga technique:
For me simple yoga technique of breathing in making a sound while stretching and breathing out making a sound while thinking of letting stress go works.
In this technique:
You with control take a deep breath in (optional: making a loud fuuuuu sound)
stop when you reach stomach and its full
take a small pause holding the breath
when control breath fully out
take a pause while your body is empty of air.
Repeat.

This technique can also be combined with every yoga posture to make the yoga more spiritual meditative, to aid one to do the postures from simple mechnical moves to be spiritual.

One Breath or Zen/Buddha breath technique for basic meditation:
sit in a relaxed posture, close your eyes, and bring awareness to your breath. The idea is not to control your breath but to watch it. If you can sense that you are not breathing to your stomach then with intention Guide your breath: by taking a long deep breath all the way to stomach and then without a pause guide it completely coming out. Again without a pause guide it back breathing in.

After few efforts, simply just watch your body breathing one breath (full breathing to stomach and out without a pause)

Difference between Yoga and Buddha is that:
Yoga: is controlled breathing with pauses in between
Zen/Buddha: can begin with intention but never any controling, only watching the natural breath.

Auruvdya herbal remedy: (ancient herbal remedy)
white pumpkin juice + 6 almonds + ginger juice 2 tea spoons, 1/4 spoon black pepper powder , 2 teaspoon basil, jaggery (Brown natural sugar)
drink 2-3 times a day.
Benefit: to feel grounded, emotionally balanced, calm your mind

Let me do my best and be happy every day!

From “The Dao of Taijiquan – way to rejuvenation” by Master Jou – Buy it on Amazon

Shaolinquan is an exercise invented in the famous Sholin Buddhist Temple in the Hernan, a northern province of China. The temple was built in Shaoshi mountains during the Wei Dynasty in the third century AD.

DAMO, an Indian Bodhidharma master who came to China in 527 AD, lectured there for many years during the Liang Dynasty sixth century AD. Finding many of the monks weak, unhealthy and even prone to fall asleep during sermons and meditation, Damo pointed out the importance of having a sound body in the effort to develop a strong inner spirit.

Before Damo emphasized the need for strength, physical energy and proper body posture in effective concentration, Buddhist theory stressed development of the soul and neglected that of the body. Damo, who encouraged the monks to exercise in the early morning for their health, created several systems of exercise:

• The change of tendons or Yijinjing
• The marrow washing or Xisuijing
• The eighteen Buddha’s hands – Shaolin boxing.

From “The Dao of Taijiquan – way to rejuvenation” by Master Jou

Author’s dream:
“It has long been my dream that one day Americans of all ages, creeds and colors will practicing taijiquan in the parks of this nation as they do in China. Few places in the world have such beautiful open spaces which can and should be used productively at no expense. The result would be tremendous improvement in mental and physical well being.

Now after more than 30 years of researching taijiquan, I understand that it is becoming a lost art. It is my hope that through this book we can work together to revive taijiquan”