One of the most common mistakes people make is breathing shallowly. Humans are born to breathe deeply, a process some times referred to as abdominal breathing. If you watch a sleeping baby, you will notice that its stomach rises and falls with each breath. As we grow older, many of us lose this innate ability to breathe deeply, and we end up breathing into only the top portion of our lungs.
Deep breathing is inhaling into the depths of our lungs. When we breathe deeply, we breathe into the entire length of our lungs. Shallow breathing is inhaling air into only the top portion of the lungs. When we breathe shallowly, we leave the lower portion unused and therefore limit the lungs fully potential
When we use the term abdominal breathing to describe deep breathing this not mean that inhaled air actually flows down into your abdomen. Ti simply indicates that you involve your abdomen when you breathe deeply, and you may get the impression that sir is filling up your lower abdomen. What you are actually doing is using your abdomen to cause the lowering of your diaphragm in order to extend the capacity of your lungs. Shallow breathing is one reason you frequently hear older people complain about having trouble breathing. It is never too late to learn and improve.
An ancient adage says that partial breathing is partial living. This wisdom goes deeper than just the inhalation of sufficient oxygen. A person who breathes partially, or shallowly, throughout life never know the higher level of existence that comes from living with the abundance of both oxygen and Chi energy. Chi the inner vital energy upon which Chinese medicinal practices and martial arts are based can be channeled to a location in the body to nourish or to heal or to soothe. This soothing effect can ease aches and discomforts, and it can lull a person to relax and sleep.
