Breath-work is a simple discipline that allows us to train ourselves to breathe in a certain way, essentially to keep our breathing naturally deep. As a basic principle, respiration should be deep, light, and natural. Breathing that is natural, and yet deep and light, is healthy. It may seem that breathing both deeply and lightly is contradictor}’. Prof Ilchi Lee associate deepness with heaviness, and connect lightness with shallowness. This principle of deepness and lightness might seem at odds with itself. How is such breathing possible?
Deep breathing occurs naturally if we breathe with our awareness focused on our Dahn-jon, which you may remember is the Korean name for our bodies’ energy center. It is located roughly two inches below the navel and two inches inside the body, in the center of the abdomen.
As you do your breath-work, focus your mind’s attention on this area of your body. Feel your lower abdomen rising when you breathe in and falling when you breathe out. Do this slowly and concentrate on your breathing. If this method seems difficult, place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other on your chest. As you breathe, feel the hand on your lower abdomen moving while the hand on your chest stays still.